For immediate release | November 30, 2021

ALA donates $12,000 to re-establish and restore public libraries in Haiti

CHICAGO — ALA and its members, through the ALA Disaster Relief Fund, have provided $12,000 to the Bibliothèque Nationale d’Haïti to re-establish two of its public libraries whose locations that were damaged and made uninhabitable due to the large earthquake that struck Haiti in August.

ALA’s donation will provide for temporary locations for the St. Louis du Sud Library and the Marigot Library on the Tiburon Penisula to keep their doors and services open during this critical time. Midley Joseph, staff at Bibliothèque Nationale d’Haïti, reports that preparation for the two new locations are now underway, thanks to the donation.

Some of the funds are being used to repair of the roof of the Petit Goave Public Library which was newly built after the 2010 earthquake through support from ALA and libraries and donors across the United States.

To make a donation to assist continued library rebuilding efforts in Haiti, or to help rebuild libraries damaged during Hurricane Ida in the Gulf region and East Coast make a donation to the ALA Disaster Relief Fund.

Contact:

Michael Dowling

Director

American Library Association

Chapter Relations Office/International Relations Office

mdowling@ala.org