solinet's gulf coast libraries recovery projects for public and academic libraries
TRANSCRIPT
This article was downloaded by: [Northeastern University]On: 19 November 2014, At: 12:57Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House,37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Public Library QuarterlyPublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wplq20
SOLINET's Gulf Coast Libraries Recovery Projects forPublic and Academic LibrariesKate Nevins MLS a & Sandra Nyberg MSLS ba SOLINET , 1438 West Peachtree Street NW, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA, 30309-2955 E-mail:b SOLINET , 1438 West Peachtree Street NW, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA, 30309-2955 E-mail:Published online: 22 Sep 2008.
To cite this article: Kate Nevins MLS & Sandra Nyberg MSLS (2006) SOLINET's Gulf Coast Libraries Recovery Projects for Publicand Academic Libraries, Public Library Quarterly, 25:3-4, 215-223
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J118v25n03_18
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE
Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) containedin the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make norepresentations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of theContent. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, andare not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon andshould be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable forany losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoeveror howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use ofthe Content.
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematicreproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in anyform to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
SOLINET’s Gulf Coast LibrariesRecovery Projects
for Public and Academic Libraries
Kate NevinsSandra Nyberg
SUMMARY. In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita damaged many li-braries along the Gulf Coast. Due to widespread destruction in commu-nities, library recovery has been slow. With support from the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, SOLINETimplemented two projects in 2006 to insure that library services remainavailable in the region. The projects provide temporary public library fa-cilities in communities where libraries were destroyed, distribute grantsto restore services at academic libraries and support planning in publiclibraries, and provide education to facilitate recovery. The projects alsoaddress planning for long-term recovery and improved preparedness forfuture disasters. doi:10.1300/J118v25n03_18 [Article copies available for afee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mailaddress: <[email protected]> Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]
Kate Nevins, MLS (E-mail: [email protected]), is Executive Director, andSandra Nyberg, MSLS (E-mail: [email protected]), is Grants Officer, both atSOLINET, 1438 West Peachtree Street NW, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30309-2955.
[Haworth co-indexing entry note]: “SOLINET’s Gulf Coast Libraries Recovery Projects for Public andAcademic Libraries.” Nevins, Kate, and Sandra Nyberg. Co-published simultaneously in Public Library
Quarterly (The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.) Vol. 25, No. 3/4, 2006,pp. 215-223; and: Dealing with Natural Disasters in Libraries (ed: William Miller and Rita M. Pellen) TheHaworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc., 2006, pp. 215-223. Single or multiple copiesof this article are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service [1-800-HAWORTH,9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address: [email protected]].
Available online at http://plq.haworthpress.com� 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1300/J118v25n03_18 215
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014
KEYWORDS. Disaster response, disaster preparedness, HurricaneKatrina, Hurricane Rita, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Andrew W.Mellon Foundation, SOLINET, temporary libraries
This paper describes the early stages of two major grant-fundedprojects to assist public and academic libraries in recovering fromthe devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Both projects beganin summer 2006.
INTRODUCTION
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita damaged and destroyed libraries in a largegeographic area along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,and Texas in August and September 2005. Damage spread inland as thestorms moved north, especially in Louisiana and Mississippi. Due tomany travel restrictions in the hardest hit areas and the general chaosthat followed Katrina in particular, it was often weeks before staff mem-bers could return to their libraries, by which time the damage caused bythe hurricanes had been exacerbated by mold, ongoing exposure to theelements, lack of power, and lack of security. Local resources to assistlibraries in response and recovery were very limited in the monthsfollowing the storms and, in some areas, are still unable to meet the levelof need. The hurricanes affected libraries far beyond those actuallydamaged, as surviving public and academic libraries throughout theregion diverted resources to support damaged neighbors. In the monthsfollowing the hurricanes, the library community stepped forward toprovide books and public access computers for displaced populations,library services for students and faculty from campuses that were tem-porarily closed or inaccessible, office space and communication sup-port for librarians unable to access their own libraries, staff to assist withrecovery and salvage, technology support for libraries with damagedcommunications systems, and storage space for collections that cannotbe returned to libraries until repairs are complete.
Damage at individual libraries varied widely, from very minor to com-plete loss of facilities and collections. Following the storms, the StateLibrary of Louisiana reported 107 public libraries as destroyed or dam-aged, and the Mississippi Library Commission reported 34 public li-braries as either indefinitely or temporarily closed. While some of theselibraries have re-opened, 40 in Louisiana and 8 in Mississippi remained
216 DEALING WITH NATURAL DISASTERS IN LIBRARIES
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014
closed as of summer 2006, and another 15 were operating with significantservice limitations. Thirty-one public libraries were destroyed. Twenty-fiveacademic institutions in the area reported damage to one or morecampus libraries. In March of 2006, of 33 damaged academic libraries,27 were still working to address repair and recovery needs. Three aca-demic libraries were extensively damaged and their original facilitiesremain closed.
Public libraries typically have more direct control over response andrecovery than do academic libraries, where decisions on insurancecoverage, building repairs, security, and funding for collection recoveryare usually made at the college or university level. Nonetheless, mostlibraries with minor building damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Ritawere repaired and operational by early 2006. Libraries with more exten-sive building damage were only partially open, not open at all, or oper-ating from temporary or shared facilities in summer 2006. For example,several libraries are able to provide only limited library service throughtemporary trailers, including the Algiers branch of the New OrleansPublic Library, Southern University of New Orleans, the Pass Christianbranch of the Harrison County (MS) Public Library, and William CareyUniversity (Hattiesburg, MS).
In addition to addressing building issues, libraries dealt with a range ofneeds in regard to recovering damaged or lost collections, from identifi-cation of what was lost or damaged (and its replacement value) throughconservation and treatment of damaged materials, replacement of lostcollections, filling gaps in holdings due to lost subscriptions, processingreplacements and treated materials, and acquiring or maintaining collec-tions in the face of significantly reduced funding. All area libraries withcirculating collections lost books and other material checked-out topatrons at the time of the hurricanes. Unique collections were damagedand lost in both public and academic libraries.
Libraries affected by the hurricanes continue to face potential long-termresource constraints. It may be years before property claims are settledwith insurance companies and the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency (FEMA), in part due to disputes over policy interpretations andlimitations. Funds to support current library services remain limited ascommunities deal with widespread damage and loss, changing commu-nity demographics, and rising costs. Expectations for increased fundingfor library services in the future are low due to decreased tax bases incommunities, lower enrollments at colleges and universities, decreasedrevenue at the state level for all services including public libraries andhigher education, and cuts from academic institutions and local and state
Kate Nevins and Sandra Nyberg 217
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014
governments as funds are diverted to support other recovery and infra-structure needs.
As response and recovery proceeded, it became apparent that althoughHurricanes Katrina and Rita caused similar types of damage at academicand public libraries, the processes, options, needs, and opportunities forrecovery differed. As noted above, some of these differences stem fromthe systems within which the libraries operate, with academic librarydecisions driven by their college or university while public libraries aremore often on their own in dealing with insurance, FEMA, contractors,response services, etc. Other differences relate to the communities theselibraries serve. Academic libraries often did not have to provide servicesimmediately following the storms to their students and faculty becausemany campuses closed. Public libraries, on the other hand, had immedi-ate and often overwhelming demand for information and services fol-lowing the storms. In many communities, the remaining public librarieswere the only places for residents to access the Internet, necessary forcommunicating with family and friends, filing insurance claims, and re-questing aid from FEMA and state agencies. Although their needs andsituations are different, both public and academic libraries face long-termrecovery issues. In response to that and with awareness of the distinc-tions between libraries, the Southeastern Library Network (SOLINET)worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Andrew W.Mellon Foundation to obtain support for recovering libraries.
THE GULF COAST LIBRARIES PROJECTFOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Funded in August 2006 with a $12.2 million grant from the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, the goal of the Gulf Coast Libraries Projectis to insure that library and public access computer services remain avail-able and accessible to residents and communities in hurricane-impactedareas of Louisiana and Mississippi. Library services are vital to commu-nity rebuilding efforts. This project seeks to make certain that citizenshave access to the information and services provided by their publiclibraries and that public libraries remain able to support the immediateand evolving needs of their communities.
Project objectives address immediate, intermediate, and long-term needsat affected public libraries. The immediate need is to provide libraryservices in communities where none exist because damaged or destroyedlibraries are closed and not yet rebuilt. This will be done by establishing
218 DEALING WITH NATURAL DISASTERS IN LIBRARIES
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014
and providing operational and financial support for 22 temporary libraryfacilities and book/tech mobiles. The intermediate need is to assist publiclibraries in planning for rebuilding. Assistance will be provided througha multi-day summit on rebuilding for affected library systems andcommunities, a series of state-based training sessions providing technicalplanning assistance, and local planning grants for Louisiana parish andMississippi county systems to assess future needs and implement librarybuilding program plans. The long-term need to be addressed through theproject is permanent replacement of all lost public access computers inrebuilt libraries. SOLINET is working closely with the State Library ofLouisiana, the Mississippi Library Commission, and the affected publiclibrary systems to achieve the project’s objectives.
Temporary library facilities will enable communities to provide neededservices while plans are made for rebuilding. Usable space in permanentstructures is at a premium in affected areas, as businesses and organiza-tions seeking to re-establish themselves are quickly leasing the limitedamount of space that remains. The transient nature of displaced residentsand uncertainty over where residents will rebuild make it more difficultfor library systems to commit to long-term leases. A library in a modu-lar trailer is a relatively low-cost solution to providing library servicesuntil a permanent facility can be rebuilt. It can be deployed rapidly and,if necessary, be shifted to another site. In addition to trailers, the projectwill provide book/tech mobiles to serve larger geographic areas with lowpopulation densities. Grant funds will support the acquisition of trailersand book/tech mobiles, set-up and delivery, furnishings and collectionmaterials, computers, and telecommunications equipment. The grant alsofunds selected operating expenses for three years, including staff toprovide services at temporary libraries, telecommunications and utilities,and fuel for book/tech mobiles. All temporary libraries and book/techmobiles will be operational in 2007.
Limited resources are available to support public libraries in planningto rebuild, and many parish and county library systems in Louisiana andMississippi want advice and expertise to assist in effective planning.Planning initiatives through the Gulf Coast Libraries Project seek to helppublic libraries insure that new facilities meet current and future needsof their communities. The three components of the project’s planningobjective–summit, state workshops, and planning grants–will articulatea vision for public libraries in affected areas, provide practical frame-works for planning and developing support, and position the library tomove forward quickly when construction funds become available.
Kate Nevins and Sandra Nyberg 219
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014
To set the vision, “Building Libraries, Building Community: A Summiton the Role of Public Libraries in Recreating Community on the Gulf Coast”was held in November 2006, to engage libraries and their communities inthinking in new ways about library facilities and encourage library systemsto “not build back, but build better.” As difficult as recovery is, the destruc-tion of older facilities offers an opportunity to redesign libraries and buildnew facilities capable of delivering services in new ways. Presentations atthe Summit explored the roles of a public library in a community, includinghow it functions as an economic and educational asset, and a social andpublic space. Asset-based community development principles and toolsprovided a model for planning that maximizes community involvementin the process. Participants also heard presentations and participated indiscussions on trends impacting libraries in Louisiana and Mississippi,including demographic and economic shifts, the plans of state-wide recoveryprograms, and public perception and use of library services. Participants inthe Summit were teams from affected library systems and their communi-ties, including library staff and key leaders critical to rebuilding efforts(library trustees and board members, county/parish planning departmentheads and architects, and members of library foundations and Friendsgroups attended). Presentation summaries and videos from the Summitare available on SOLINET’s website (http://www.solinet.net). State-specific workshops are scheduled in Louisiana and Mississippi for early2007, focused on the practical process of planning and building communitysupport, particularly within the context of statewide recovery initiatives.
To support local planning processes, the Gulf Coast Libraries Projectwill provide planning grants to counties and parishes with destroyedlibrary buildings. Grants will fund a range of activities related to plan-ning for rebuilding, including needs assessment, demographic analysis,building program development, building design and planning processes,fundraising planning and activities, and outreach activities that involvethe community in planning and strengthen community support for libraryrebuilding initiatives. Although the Gulf Coast Libraries Project doesnot fund actual construction, plans developed through it can position alibrary to take advantage of other sources of construction money, suchas that provided by the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund through the Americansfor Libraries Council.
The final objective of the Gulf Coast Libraries Project is to insure thatall public access computers lost to the hurricanes are replaced. While this isdependent in some library systems on rebuilding, it meets a long-standinggoal of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to connect libraries andtheir patrons to the Internet and insure that they stay connected.
220 DEALING WITH NATURAL DISASTERS IN LIBRARIES
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014
THE ACADEMIC LIBRARIES HURRICANERECOVERY PROJECT
Funded in July 2006 with an $896,000 grant from the Andrew W.Mellon Foundation, the goals of the Academic Libraries Hurricane Re-covery Project are to support short- and long-term recovery needs at af-fected academic libraries and improve library preparedness for futuredisasters. Project-supported activities to meet immediate needs includea grant program to assist damaged libraries in re-establishing full ser-vice, coordinated and centralized acquisition of discounted and donatedproducts and resources to meet ongoing resource needs, and creationand provision of free information and training on topics that will assistdamaged libraries in dealing with ongoing issues related to recovery.Project support for addressing longer-term needs includes consultingfor groups of libraries in communities that wish to develop new servicemodels through multi-type cooperative organizations, assessment of theeffectiveness of pre-Katrina/Rita preparedness, and organizing a confer-ence to create a regional plan for responding to future disasters.
The Academic Libraries Hurricane Recovery Project was developedfollowing an assessment conducted by SOLINET in early 2006, also fundedby the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The evaluation process includedsite visits at damaged academic libraries and review of assessmentsperformed by other groups for public libraries, historical societies,museums, archives and public records offices. A meeting of representa-tives from all groups identified recovery needs and made recommendationsto improve preparedness for and response to future disasters. The report ofthis assessment, available at SOLINET’s website (http://www.solinet.net),highlights the distinctiveness of situations and needs at individual aca-demic libraries.
Although individual needs differed from library to library, all identi-fied the need for funds to assist in acquiring resources to re-establishservice levels. Even libraries able to re-open and begin service to return-ing students and faculty are dealing with ongoing limitations related tothe replacement of lost materials and technology, recovery of damagedcollections, and staffing. To address the unique needs at affected librar-ies, a re-grant program through the Academic Libraries Hurricane Recov-ery Project awarded $365,000 to nineteen academic libraries in November2006. The grants provided funds to address immediate needs in regardto re-establishing services, including replacement of destroyed equip-ment, collections, and furnishings; renewal of subscription services forcollection resources; mold remediation; and temporary staffing.
Kate Nevins and Sandra Nyberg 221
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014
While the re-grant program addresses unique service needs at indi-vidual libraries, recovering academic libraries will have ongoing needsover the next few years to continue rebuilding collections and services.Combining the needs of all affected academic libraries and devotingcentral resources to acquiring products, information, and materials forthe entire group will enable staff at the libraries to focus directly on theservice needs of their patrons. Another short-term need for the affectedacademic libraries is information and training to address ongoing recov-ery issues, such as collection valuation, recurring mold, mutual aid agree-ments, and strategies for rebuilding collections. To address this ongoingand evolving need, the project will support the creation and delivery offree workshops and information resources for affected libraries.
Longer-term, academic libraries, like public, must plan for rebuildingand operating in a changed future. Some communities are interested inexploring new models for providing library service through cooperativeprograms and shared facilities, combining support for different groupscurrently served by separate libraries (academic, community college, pub-lic, K-12, and private libraries). As communities make plans to rebuild,opportunities exist to re-assess needs within the library environment andbeyond. To assist communities interested in investigating cooperativemodels, the Academic Libraries Hurricane Recovery Project will provideconsulting funds for initial planning.
Libraries learned first-hand through the hurricanes about the impor-tance of being prepared, of having up-to-date plans for response and re-covery. Whether damaged or not, every library along the Gulf Coastdiscovered the strengths and weaknesses of training and planning donebefore the hurricanes. They also have learned what to do differently inthe future, what obstacles hampered recovery, and what tools and re-sources were needed for immediate response. Organizations that sup-port libraries on a state and regional level also learned about limitationsin existing disaster response and recovery support programs. To learnfrom the experience of Katrina and Rita, the Academic Libraries Hurri-cane Recovery Project includes an assessment of pre-storm prepared-ness activities and planning for coordinated, effective response to futureregion-wide disasters. Assessment activities will take place in late 2006and early 2007, culminating in a report and leading to a region-wideconference on disaster preparedness and response.
Participants in the region-wide conference in 2007 will identify the beststrategies for coordinating disaster preparedness, response, and recoveryat local, state, and regional levels. Planning for and responding to cata-strophic, region-wide disasters is different from dealing with disasters
222 DEALING WITH NATURAL DISASTERS IN LIBRARIES
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014
at the individual institution level. In the latter case, local resources areidentified to assist in response and recovery, but in a catastrophic situa-tion, such resources are either not available or demand for what resourcesare available quickly outpaces supply. In catastrophic disasters, manylibraries and cultural organizations need help at the same time and assis-tance efforts may be seriously hampered or delayed due to limited accessat damaged sites. During regional disasters, institutions must look outsidethe local community for assistance at all levels, from response throughstabilization to recovery. Planning at the regional level can identify whatresources are needed for response, organize supply chains to deliver neededresources, coordinate damage assessment and reporting, coordinatecommunications, and identify and find support for long-term recovery.A report of recommendations will be produced following the conference.
CONCLUSION
Communities hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will need many yearsto recover. In some cases, the extent of damage will permanently changethe nature of the community. Libraries within these communities willchange as the community does; they also may serve as a catalyst forcommunity re-growth. Libraries in particular often provided stabilityfor people following the hurricanes, as a source for information andsupport and as a symbol of the importance of community.
While the two projects described in this article address the needs oflibraries in Louisiana and Mississippi, the results of project activities willbenefit all libraries. Resources, tools, and educational programming willhelp every library be better prepared for the next storm and more able torespond effectively. These resources, along with lessons learned andstories of recovery, will provide models and inspiration to all libraries,some of which will inevitably face disasters of their own in the future.Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have raised awareness of the need to beprepared. The shared experience of the Louisiana and Mississippi librar-ies will help insure that libraries are prepared in the right way next time.That experience also will help to inform coordination of response infuture region-wide disasters and plan for ongoing, long-term supportfor recovery at affected libraries.
doi:10.1300/J118v25n03_18
Kate Nevins and Sandra Nyberg 223
Dow
nloa
ded
by [
Nor
thea
ster
n U
nive
rsity
] at
12:
57 1
9 N
ovem
ber
2014