A Year After Quake, Haitian Libraries Rebuild

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By Van Sias Jan 26, 2011


The devastating earthquake in Haiti that occurred just over one year ago severely damaged the island nation's library system, but ongoing international aid efforts are helping Haitian librarians rebuild.

"Because of the exceptional situation, the reconstruction of libraries in Haiti takes a long time, despite the will and desire of librarians in Haiti," Danielle Mincio, a governing board member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), told LJ.

"Nevertheless, great progress has been made," said Mincio, who is also head of manuscript collections for the Bibliothèque Cantonale et Universitaire in Lausanne, Switzerland.

(Françoise Thybulle, Director of the National Library of Haïti, and Elisabeth Pierre-Louis, Library Programme Director of FOKAL, described the damage in a blog post last summer.)

Progress being made
Mincio noted that in the past year a center for the rescue and treatment of books and archival material had been set up under the auspices of the International Blue Shield (a cultural equivalent to the Red Cross).

"Despite very difficult conditions ... Haitians have showed an unwavering commitment to do everything to put their libraries [back] as soon as possible in public service," Mincio said. "The creation of the National Committee of the Blue Shield of Haiti in 2010 is an encouraging sign."

In addition, a number of Swiss libraries, along with Libraries Without Borders, have sent two containers of mobile shelving and books to the National Library of Haiti, the Library of Saint Louis de Gonzague, and other smaller public libraries.

The recovery of important records is crucial, and the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development is working to secure collections still buried in the rubble. The group, in collaboration with Blue Shield and other organizations, has donated more than $380,000 to assist with that project.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has been helpful as well. "Fortunately, for its part, UNESCO has organized awareness campaigns and coordination of actions in Haiti," Mincio said. "Our construction of the processing center receives assistance from UNESCO, in particular for securing the ground where it will be installed."

Two mobile libraries are being provided as part of an effort sponsored by the Stichting IFLA Foundation. According to the IFLA, SIF is cofinancing the first of the mobile libraries with matching funds slated to be raised in a campaign directed toward Nordic and other European countries. SIF is also sponsoring training for emergency treatment of documents.

"We hope that other projects, like the purchase of the first mobile library with Internet access, the training of school librarians and librarians for the mobile libraries will be in place [in 2011]. For these projects, we have some of the funding and will launch fundraising campaigns," Mincio said.

ALA focuses on reconstruction
The American Library Association, through its Haiti Library Relief Fund, is focusing its efforts on the reconstruction of three facilities: the Centre Culturel Pyepoudre Community Library, Bibliothèque haïtienne des Pères du Saint-Esprit, and the Petit Goave Public Library. According to ALA's website, workers from these libraries are still providing services throughout those communities, despite having no buildings.

So far, ALA says the money it has raised and sent over to the country-more than $35,000-has gone toward clearing the land and new designs for the sites. However, the organization also notes that the estimated cost to rebuild one library is $350,000.

Michael Dowling, international relations director for ALA, said that the group's fundraising efforts are primarily tied to reconstruction.

"We are focusing on getting the buildings back up," he said, and that results are already being seen. "Reconstruction has recently started on the Bibliothèque haïtienne des Pères du Saint-Esprit."

Optimistic about support
Despite concerns about the nation's infrastructure post-January 12, 2010-the day of the earthquake-Mincio is optimistic about the support the libraries will receive.

"Libraries are no exception," she said. "Haitian political structures must be strengthened. Fortunately, in the field of culture and cultural heritage, there is a broad consensus among Haitian professionals. The culture has a special meaning for the Haitian people, and is fundamental to rebuilding the country-and the educational system, in particular."

She said that IFLA plays an important coordinating role.

"International aid for libraries also involves nongovernmental organizations of goodwill, but they do not always have specific expertise in the field," she said. "In this sense, the IFLA, as a professional organization, can contribute very effectively to the reconstruction of libraries in the countries affected by serious disasters by supporting and complementing activities of NGOs or other associations working in the field, like Digital Library of the Caribbean or the American Library Association.

Some library systems in the United States are taking it upon themselves to join the cause as well. For instance, the Orange County (CA) Library Association is raising money for the Centre Culturel Pyepoudre Library, according to a report in the Orange County Register. The association is being joined by the Anaheim Public Library, the Orange Public Library and the Nealley Library at Santa Ana College in the "Linking Libraries to Help Haiti" initiative.


READ THE ORIGINAL STORY HEAR: A Year After Quake, Haitian Libraries Rebuild