Hurricanes Hurt Gulf Coast PLs

Hurricane Ike swept through the Gulf Coast in mid-September, destroying a temporary library in Cameron Parish, in Louisiana's southwest corner. It was feared to have severely damaged the Rosenberg Library in Galveston, home to a large cache of historic documents and the oldest continuingly operated library in Texas. Hurricane Gustav, which hit early in September, caused far less destruction than feared, but it still damaged some libraries and closed dozens after power was lost.

The Livonia branch of the Pointe Coupee Parish Library had its roof blown off by Gustav and was flooded with more than six inches of water, according to the State Library of Louisiana's status blog. All five parish branches were affected.

At the Terrebonne Parish Library System, in the parish hardest hit, the windows in the Chauvin Branch were blown out by Gustav, leading to significant losses. Four bayou branches are in communities where levees were broken or breached by Ike.

After Gustav, the state library on September 8 calculated that 79 of 253 branches were closed, but at least 54 were to reopen with the restoration of power. Others were closed following evacuation. Ike delayed or exacerbated plans to reopen; for example, the main library of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library had sections cordoned off because of water damage.

At the New Orleans Public Library (NOPL), which suffered minor damage from Gustav, the main library, which played a significant role as a recovery center in the wake of 2005's Hurricane Katrina (see “How'd You Come Out?” LJ 6/1/06, p. 39–42), began a reprise of that duty, albeit on a smaller scale. Members of the National Guard organized a drive-through corridor outside the library to supply passing cars and individuals on foot (see photo) with food (meals ready-to-eat), water, and ice. City, state, and federal agencies placed a recovery center at the main library and two branches.

In Louisiana, Texas, and beyond, libraries reported that residents, as they did three years ago, were using computers to report damage to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); indeed, the Houston Public Library, opening four branches after Ike, invited residents to file FEMA and insurance claims. High winds from Ike, exceeding 75 mph, knocked out power in communities around Ohio and closed several libraries. The Westerville Public Library, OH, which retained power, became a recovery center Sunday for residents to charge their cell phones and access wireless service.

The library role will get more attention. In Florida, a grant has been awarded to the Information Use Management & Policy Institute of Florida State University (FSU), Tallahassee, by the Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center at FSU's College of Business, helping libraries in the state identify best practices and guidelines that could help libraries in responding to hurricanes.