[StBernard] Gateses offer grants to rebuild libraries along coast

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Fri Dec 1 23:47:49 EST 2006


Gateses offer grants to rebuild libraries along coast

By EMILY KERN
Advocate staff writer
Published: Nov 30, 2006

Libraries along the Gulf Coast that were damaged or destroyed by hurricanes
Katrina and Rita will have the opportunity to apply for $12 million in
grants funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Thirty-one public libraries in Louisiana and Mississippi were destroyed by
the hurricanes. Many more remain closed or are operating with limitations,
according to the Southeastern Library Network Inc., the nonprofit agency
chosen to administer the grants.


Representatives from several Louisiana parishes and Mississippi counties are
attending a three-day summit in Baton Rouge this week where they are
exploring the opportunities that come with the funding and sharing ideas for
rebuilding.

Jill Nishi with the Gates Foundation said the $12 million in grant money was
announced in June and will be administered in three parts.

First, libraries can apply for money to establish temporary facilities,
either in trailers or bookmobiles. The money can be used to help with
planning for new facilities, and the foundation also has a commitment to
replace the approximately 500 computers damaged in the storms.

Nishi said the foundation hopes the first temporary building will be
operating by Jan. 1.

The summit is the first part of the planning process for new permanent
facilities, she said, "to get them (librarians) thinking about what could be
possible."

The money for planning could be used to hire consultants, architects or to
survey residents, Nishi said.

The grant process is non-competitive. All libraries that were destroyed or
heavily damaged by Katrina or Rita qualify, Nishi said.

State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton said that in Louisiana, 121 out of 339
public libraries were closed initially due to hurricane damage.

"Today, only 22 are closed, but those 22 are pretty much destroyed," she
said.

The idea of temporary buildings for libraries was brought up because it
could take years to rebuild in heavily damaged areas, Hamilton said.

"Libraries will be one of the components that draw people back," she said.

Ethel Llamas, director of the St. Bernard Parish Library, said her building
received about 4 feet of water during Katrina. The staff could not go inside
for about a month.

"The mold just took over the whole place," she said. "Everything had to be
discarded."

Before Katrina, the library had a main branch and a presence in a museum.
Now, there is no service.

Llamas said she is depending on the Gates Foundation to supply a trailer for
the next three years.

"St. Bernard is living in trailers," she said.

Just now, Llamas said, people are beginning to gut their houses. Telephone
service came back up a few months ago. There is no hospital.

Why is Llamas adamant about returning library service to the community? She
wants to provide a place for residents to find entertainment and get
information along with free Internet service.

"Just a place for relaxation, a place to take you away, an escape from the
everyday trials of trying to get your life back together," Llamas said.




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