NYFA reports that The New Orleans Public Library is seeking book donations to rebuild its collection, which was decimated after Katrina. Link (Thanks, Sara Bader)
Reader comment: Liz Mackenzie-Barrett says,
Before everyone starts sending them books, I found the following on their website: “Many caring people have contacted us to offer donations of books for our damaged libraries. While we much appreciate any offers of assistance, the best way to help NOPL at this early stage of our rebuilding process is to donate funds” — Link
Reader comment: Jordan Pietzsch says,
There is a non-profit group that does work related to this. The organization’s name is First Book and they setup the “Book Relief” program as an immediate response to Hurricane Katrina. The program is still in place and they are still accepting contributions (in fact, they only accept contributions, not actual books). They distribute 1 book for every 50 cents they receive – and the money goes directly to shipping and warehouse costs, so they aren’t making any money off of this. So far they have sent thousands of books to families affected by the Gulf Coast hurricanes, with more distributions in the works. These books go directly to the children, not a library – and the kids get to keep the books forever, no strings attached. (Full Disclosure: I work with First Book and have been involved in the Book Relief program.) If you are interested, you can find out more about First Book and Book Relief at these sites: www.firstbook.org, and www.bookrelief.org
Reader comment: NOLA resident Shannon Ellery Hubbell says,
Thanks for calling attention to the New Orleans public libraries! I just wanted to point you in the direction of the website for the Cita Dennis Hubbell branch (hubbelllibrary.org… yes, three L’s in the middle)…
Reader comment: BenBuckley says,
Ms. Hubbell called your readers’ attention to one of NoLa’s public libraries. I’d like, if I might, to call BoingBoing readers’ attention to NoLa’s first re-opened lending library, the all-volunteer, collectively run Iron Rail Bookstore and Library. Long before any of the public libraries had even started to clean up, The Iron Rail had re-opened its doors and was lending books to residents and relief workers alike.
Reader comment: KC says,
Here is the blog of a public librarian in NOLA who was one of the few to be able to still staff a library: Link