A Year After Quake, Haitian Libraries Rebuild

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

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

A BRILLIANT STORAGE IDEA: Staircase Drawers

Here’s a brilliant idea that leaves us wondering – why didn’t we think of this first? Despite our penchant for 2-in-1 furniture, we’ve never seen anything quite like this before. Regardless of attempts to be organized in the modern world, most of us continue to be ashamed of one (or eight, in my case) junk drawers around the house- black holes filled with old receipts, pens, and random trinkets. But now you can flaunt your junk drawer with Unicraft Joinery’s simple yet brilliant under-the-staircase drawer solution.



What a great way to utilize a generally overlooked space! Step and store in style, using each step as storage for a different item- everything from socks and shoes to books and, well, junk. The Australia-based company unfortunately does not have a website, but contact info can be found here, with more details in Vogue Living Australia’s Autumn/Winter 2007 issue.

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Steel Solutions products are now GREENGUARD Indoor Clean Air Certified!

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Spacesaver has launched 'Mobilized Industrial Storage Systems'...a section dedicated entirely to manufacturers!

Spacesaver Industrial develops mobilized storage systems that address the unique industrial storage and space problems faced by manufacturers.

Our innovative mobilized system boosts productivity by allowing manufacturers to easily convert multiple aisles of static storage racks into a compact, single moving aisle that easily opens and closes to afford access.

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With more than 100,000 successful commercial and compact shelving installations under our belts, Spacesaver Industrial boasts:

•A Who’s Who of clientele, including scores of Fortune 500 companies
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•Over 600 employees strong Spacesaver Industrial was launched by Spacesaver Corporation, a firm with a 40-year history of leadership in warehouse storage.

Spacesaver Industrial’s ActivRAC system can mobilize any existing industrial storage rack to free up value-added space. Except for the most extreme loads, it can typically be installed on an existing concrete slab without the need for a second concrete pour or the addition of structural footings.

Savvy process engineers choose ActivRAC to:

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-Decentralize storage to strategically store and organize key supplies and materials closer to employees to reduce unnecessary motion and enhance safety

Designer Chic High-Density Mobile Shelving

In my former life as an interior designer, I rarely thought about high-density mobile shelving solutions for my clients. Why, you ask? Turns out, I had several misconceptions about the product:

1. I thought high-density units were too expensive


2. I thought high-density shelving was just for records and files


3. I thought high-density mobile units were pretty ugly


4. I thought any room above the first floor wasn’t structurally sound enough for high-density mobile to be installed.


5. I thought that high-density mobile was not an efficient use of space unless you had a large central filling area.

Turns out that I was wrong about all of the above, and never even knew! Gasp!

High density is actually, most often, a less expensive option. Take the following example:

In this 18'X30' room we can fit 42 five drawer lateral files, providing 6,930 lateral filing inches in the space at $5 - $6 per inch.

Regardless of the mode of operation (mannual, mechanical assist or powered), you can store the same 6,930 lateral filing inches in just 32% of the space, or as shown here, you can increase your storage capacity by 316% percent for $2 - $3 per filing inch.

High-density shelving is definitely not just for records. It is for all kinds of “stuff.” Think dinosaur bones, football helmets, books, golf bags… it is a way to save space in any interior space. Had I only known…

High-density mobile units are totally customizable. Had I wanted to use metallic paint and 3form end panels I could have done that very thing! Look at this very sexy storage solution!

With Spacesaver T-rail, you can use high-density mobile units on any floor you need. The heavy-duty rail helps disperse weight.

 

Rule of thumb is that if you are using 5-7 lateral files in your work area, high-density mobile will save you more space and money (lateral files can be up to $800 a pop).

Julie Weber - Storage Enthusiast

© 2011 KI and Spacesaver Corporation. All Rights Reserved. T: 800.255.8170

Evidence Storage: Where does it go when CSI is done with it?

There are few processes that are more important to civilization than solving crimes, both for the protection of the public from criminals as well as for the protection of the innocent from unjust punishment. Quite often, the muscle behind those in law enforcement rests with their ability to connect the accused with the victim by matching evidence from the crime scene (or victim) to evidence connected to the person accused.

As is dramatically portrayed on television by the CSI franchise (logo below), forensic investigators seek advice from a large group of experts (scientists) that examine crime scene evidence. Crime scene evidence collected is typically sealed in unique containers in order to prevent contamination or degradation. It is carefully catalogued in order to establish a documented “chain of custody” as the evidence is transported to a forensic laboratory and/or storage facility. For a piece of evidence to be admissible in court, it needs to be proven that someone was responsible for, and can testify to the security of the evidence from the time it was seized, until the time it is presented to the court.

This can be a challenge for those in law enforcement, who for decades have come up with various systems and processes in order to establish and maintain a tight “chain of custody.” The consequence of breaking that chain may result in the guilty going free, so this is serious stuff! These processes start at the crime scene where the evidence is collected, and move right on through the application of evidence “deposit”, “examination”, and ultimately “storage”; with the storage of evidence being the LARGEST part of the process. The timeframe between the actual crime and a court appearance of the evidence may take years! Subsequently, there is TONS of evidence that may rest in storage awaiting a court date!

The responsibility for storage of this evidence usually falls on the shoulders of Property and Evidence room supervisors of the various law enforcement agencies. These unsung heros manage the processes for storage of evidence. A recent posting on Evidence Storage and Room Planning offered up some “tips” directly from the lips of those in the “chain of custody” trade. Check it out if you wish to see how they go about their business!

Now, storage of evidence prior to a court date is the tip of the iceberg! In many court cases, evidence must be stored for extended periods of time (sometimes decades); just in case it needs to be revisited in appeals and/or other court proceedings. There can be literally “mountains” of evidence that requires storage! Another recent posting, provides some insight into the challenges surrounding these "Mountains of Evidence."

Your law enforcement professionals are looking out for your best interests; to learn for about their Property & Evidence practices visit the IAPE website for more information on the subject; And if you are in a Law Enforcement position of responsibility, and want to know more about Law Enforcement Storage and Evidence Storage and how you can get organized with your evidence.

Ronald F. Chisholm, P.E. - Spacesaver Storage Specialist

The virtues of compact shelving in just over one minute

The real great promise of technology, in my opinion, is that it is supposed to save us time. All too often, however, it has the opposite effect. Take the smart phone for example. Now don't get me wrong, I love my Droid, but do you think I spend more or less time now checking e-mail, monitoring my Facebook and Twitter accounts, and texting than I did before the Droid? You guessed it...way more time. Add to that the time spent searching for and downloading the latest apps, playing silly games, and having virtual light saber duels with co-workers and I probably added an extra hour to my day...every day. It's fun. It's convenient. But save time? I don't think so.

One great exception to this contradiction seems to be...video. The YouTube revolution perfectly addresses the issue of the ever shrinking collective patience of modern society. Take this video for example...<<WATCH THE COOL VIDEO>>


Decades of mobile shelving applications condensed into one minute and eight seconds. You don't have to flip through pages of a product brochure or navigate through pages of a website to get the basic gist of what compact shelving can do for your business or your clients. Just kick back for a little over a minute, rock out to a cool tune and absorb. Then when you're done...e-mail the link to your friends and co-workers.

Now that's technology!

Matt Tourdot - Spacesaver Storage Specialist

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Our Recent Spacesaver Mobile Shelving Installations

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