ALA Establishes Library Relief Fund for Haiti
Money, not books, needed to rebuild institutions
Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 01/27/2010
- Resolution passed by Council
- Others in library community have already begun fundraising
- No books needed at this time
After the American Library Association (ALA) Council during the Midwinter Meeting adopted a resolution on the rebuilding of damaged or destroyed libraries and archives in Haiti, ALA has now created the “Haiti Library Relief Fund."
Gifts may be made by credit card or check to help rebuild institutions damaged by the recent earthquake. ALA collected $500,000 in donations to distribute to libraries in the Gulf region after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and worked with other U.S. library associations to raise $25,000 to rebuild libraries in Indonesia and Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami.
During the Midwinter Meeting, Convention Center Authority and ALA members and vendors collected a joint donation of $27,084.50 to support relief efforts in Haiti. Meanwhile, individual librarians and libraries have begun to raise funds.
Coordination needed
ALA will coordinate relief and rebuilding efforts with the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield (USCBS), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO).
ALA notes that, while people may want to donated books and other materials. libraries in Haiti are not able to receive books until further notice. ALA will alert its constituency about such donations at a later date.
