disaster and recovery Archives | Page 4 of 5 | American Libraries Magazine

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in Charlottesville, Virginia (Photo: Billy Hathorn/Creative Commons license)

Charlottesville Violence Poses New Challenges for Libraries

By Timothy Inklebarger | August 18, 2017

Libraries at both the public and university level historically have developed response plans for natural disasters, but the Charlottesville demonstrations and similar white nationalist rallies planned for other cities have library administrators working not only to protect patrons and library infrastructure but to assist in relief efforts. Both the University of Florida and Texas A&M … Continue reading Charlottesville Violence Poses New Challenges for Libraries →

2016 Year In Review

By the editors of American Libraries | January 3, 2017

Hayden Becomes 14th Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, 2003–2004 American Library Association (ALA) president and former director of Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, made history by becoming the first African American and the first woman to head the Library of Congress. She was sworn in September 14. ESSA Shows ALA’s Grassroots Advocacy … Continue reading 2016 Year In Review →

A fire destroyed the library of Mzuzu University in Malawi in 2015. Photo: TEAM Malawi

Rebuilding in Malawi

By Paul Hover | September 23, 2016

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) has been running student service opportunities to Malawi for several years, so it was no coincidence the university was one of the first to hear about the fire. The student service initiatives, known as TEAM Malawi, are part of a multidisciplinary program based on a community wellness model … Continue reading Rebuilding in Malawi →

Sam Meister, preservation communities manager at the Educopia Institute, discusses the preservation of digital data in disasters.

Preparing for the Worst

By Phil Morehart | August 16, 2016

The panelists addressed the topic from a variety of angles. Bogdan Filip Zerek, head of the conservation department at the National Library of Poland, presented an exhaustive study of how the library combated the effects of water damage in the Krasiński Palace in Warsaw, built in the 17th century, which houses the library’s iconographic collections. … Continue reading Preparing for the Worst →

Water-soaked books await pickup outside the flooded Rainelle (W.Va.) Public Library.

West Virginia Libraries Pick Up the Pieces

By Scott Shoger | July 22, 2016

After all those efforts, Jones’s friends at the West Virginia Library Commission asked her, in vain, to put up her feet for a while. But plenty of work remains. Rainelle Public Library lost almost everything but the roof and walls—all the books, along with custom-made oak bookcases installed last year courtesy of a grant, all … Continue reading West Virginia Libraries Pick Up the Pieces →

Southern California Gas Company's Aliso Canyon facility, site of the gas leak in Los Angeles.

Providing Calm in the Chaos

By Alison Marcotte | April 5, 2016

On October 23, 2015, Southern California Gas Co. discovered a gas leak at the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility, which was pouring up to 1,200 tons of methane into the air daily. Residents reported health problems such as nosebleeds, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, and respiratory issues. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency on … Continue reading Providing Calm in the Chaos →

Workers remove rubble and earth from the foot of a temple destroyed in the April 25 earthquake in Nepal. Photo: Shutterstock.com

ALA Partners to Help Restore and Build

September 24, 2015

Vanuatu Churning in the South Pacific, Category 5 Cyclone Pam made a direct hit on the island nation of Vanuatu, March 12—14, 2015. Advance preparations helped alleviate much of the damage, but many school libraries were destroyed across the archipelago. Due to its proximity to Vanuatu, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) connected with … Continue reading ALA Partners to Help Restore and Build →

The “Landmark Undertaking” of the Tulane Libraries Recovery Center

By Terra Dankowski | August 27, 2015

This post is the sixth of a six-part series commemorating libraries and librarians 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. Yet Howard-Tilton reopened the same day classes resumed at Tulane in January 2006. “It was a little rocky that first semester,” says Corrigan. “The first day we brought staff back we had a glitch and didn’t have power … Continue reading The “Landmark Undertaking” of the Tulane Libraries Recovery Center →

A cargo ship and fishing boats left grounded in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, after Hurricane Katrina came through in 2005. Photo: NOAA

Following Up with Bayou La Batre

By Terra Dankowski | August 27, 2015

This post is the fifth of a six-part series commemorating libraries and librarians 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. The city built a new facility—renamed City of Bayou La Batre Public Library—at a new location approximately two miles north in Irvington, that opened in early 2007. “The new library is far enough away that, even if we … Continue reading Following Up with Bayou La Batre →

Damage sustained to the Hancock County (Miss.) Library System's Waveland branch (left) from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the new Waveland Public Library (right) that reopened in 2011. Photos: Hancock County Library System

Coming Together as One Mississippi

By Terra Dankowski | August 26, 2015

This post is the fourth of a six-part series commemorating libraries and librarians 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. More than 50 people in Hancock County died as a result of Hurricane Katrina, and Thomas believes that’s because many had stayed in structures that had withstood Camille. “There’s a saying around here: Camille killed more people the second … Continue reading Coming Together as One Mississippi →

Pineville Elementary Rebuilds After Katrina

By Terra Dankowski | August 26, 2015

This post is the third in a six-part series commemorating libraries and librarians 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. “That was my first year as a librarian,” says Jeanne Tagge, library media specialist and art teacher at the school. “I had a library for three weeks, and then it was months without a library.” Katrina had … Continue reading Pineville Elementary Rebuilds After Katrina →

10 Years After Katrina: Commemorating Libraries and Librarians

By Terra Dankowski | August 25, 2015

In this six-part series, American Libraries looks back at the stories of libraries and librarians in the 10 years since Katrina. Reflecting on our October 2005 coverage, we remember the librarians who provided services in extraordinary circumstances. We recall the libraries that recovered because of the generosity of others. While Katrina can be a difficult topic for those … Continue reading 10 Years After Katrina: Commemorating Libraries and Librarians →

Latest Library Links

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Oliver Moody writes: “In the €100 million Oodi library, which looms over central Helsinki like a cruise ship from the future, robots called Tatu, Patu, and Veera trundle back and forth between the shelves and the reading rooms. Against this backdrop, foreign visitors might be surprised to see how many children and teenagers are engaged in an almost unsettlingly archaic activity: reading and borrowing books. In the age of TikTok, Netflix, and Candy Crush, it is not just Finland’s public libraries that are booming, but also demand for their physical paperbacks and hardbacks.”

The Times (London), June 20
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Amit Agarwal writes: “Angus owns a beautiful apartment near the university campus. With the new semester around the corner, he wants to create brochures to attract students as tenants. But here’s the challenge: the university has students from all over the world who speak different languages. Angus needs to create brochures that speak to everyone—from students from Japan to those from France, and everywhere in between. While he could create PDF brochures in multiple languages manually, that process would be both time-consuming and error-prone. This guide explains how you can automate it all.”

Digital Inspiration, June 18
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Emma Roth writes: “A federal judge has sided with Anthropic in an artificial intelligence (AI) copyright case, ruling that training its AI models on legally purchased books without authors’ permission is fair use. It’s a first-of-its-kind ruling in favor of the AI industry, but it’s importantly limited to physical books Anthropic purchased and digitized. Judge William Alsup of the Northern District of California also said in his decision that the company must face a separate trial for pirating books from the internet, and did not address whether AI model outputs infringe copyrights, which is at issue in related cases.”

The Verge, June 24
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Kimberli Buckley writes: “The modern library is a unique ecosystem. It’s rich with stories, resources, and people of all ages. Today’s library staff might include members of at least five different generations—all working under one roof. With such a broad mix of perspectives, experiences, and communication styles, it’s no surprise that misunderstandings might happen, but with mindful communication it doesn’t have to. Mindful communication offers us a way to pause, listen, and connect more intentionally so that no matter your generation or role, you feel seen, heard, valued, and understood.”

Compassionate Librarian, June 22
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Ann Baillie writes: “Your library going through a building renovation can lead to many different, and often conflicting emotions. Building renovations are complicated, and depending on the size and scope of the work, you may need to close to the public for a while. You want to make sure you maintain a positive relationship with patrons while your physical building is closed. But how can you?”

ALSC Blog, June 18
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Nathan Sonnenschein writes: “During my first year as an undergraduate, my community college’s library handed out folders bearing a catchphrase: ‘Faster than Google. Better than Wikipedia. Your college library.’ This gave me the impression that academic libraries saw Wikipedia as a usurper on their terrain. In the decade since, I have been delighted to see many library professionals develop more nuanced approaches to Wikipedia. Still, the belief that Wikipedia has no place in research or scholarship persists. There are real issues, but they do not mean Wikipedia has no valid place in the information ecosystem.”

ACRLog, June 23
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Investing in Prison Libraries: A Cost-Effective Path to Safer Communities and Second Chances, an ALA Policy Perspectives report released July 23, explores the essential role of prison libraries in lowering recidivism by better preparing incarcerated people for their release. According to the report, full funding of prison libraries leads to safer and healthier communities and reduced prison costs. Co-authors Erin Boyington, Amelia Bryne, and Emily Durkin will discuss their findings at ALA’s Annual Conference in Philadelphia in “The Work of Prison Libraries and Why Further Investment is Needed” on Saturday, June 28, at 9 a.m.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, June 23

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