MLA Adopts Hurricane Damaged Pearlington Library

-- Library Journal, 12/8/2005

Though it has been months since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, the many damaged libraries there still are in need of assistance to rebuild/repair damaged facilities and replenish ruined materials. The Maryland Library Association, which recently launched an "Adopt a Library" program, selected Mississippi's Pearlington Library, which serves both an elementary school and the public, and was swamped in 20 feet of water, destroying the building's contents. Marion Francis, administrator at the Anne Arundel County PL (AACPL), Annapolis, is chairing MLA's committee; a Mississippi native and a former director in Mississippi, she has worked with the director in Pearlington. Laurie Hayes, AACPL's public relations manager, told LJ that AACPL is donating $1000 and has helped to raise more than an additional $5000 through numerous private gifts.

Pearlington also soon will be the recipient of a bookmobile, courtesy of the Allegany County PL, which is donating a vehicle scheduled for retirement on December 19. MLA is soliciting donations from interested parties to outfit the bookmobile, and anyone interested can send checks payable to MLA with "disaster relief" in the memo line to: Maryland Library Association, 1401 Hollins St., Baltimore, 21223, ATTN: Margaret Carty, Executive Director. MLA will post updates of its relief endeavors on the Anne Arundel web site.