New Orleans Public Library

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The New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) is the public library service of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana.

1 History
2 Effects of Hurricane Katrina
3 Branches
4 External links
5 Notes

[edit] History

The system began in 1896 as the Fisk Free and Public Library in a building on Lafayette Square. Abijah Fisk was a merchant who, over fifty years earlier, had left his house—at the corner of Iberville and Bourbon Streets—to the city for use as a library. Subsequent donations had resulted in libraries and collections not completely free and open to the citizenry. An 1896 city ordinance proposed by Mayor John Fitzpatrick combined the Fisk collection with a newer municipal library. It eventually became known as the New Orleans Public Library.

A turn-of-the-century donation of $50,000 from businessman Simon Hernsheim allowed the library to begin building a significant collection. In 1902 the city received $250,000 from Andrew Carnegie to build a new main library and three branches. By 1908 the new main library was open at Lee Circle, and branches were open on Royal Street in the French Quarter, on Pelican Avenue in Algiers and on Napoleon Avenue uptown.^[1]

By 2005, NOPL had a dozen branches in addition to a newer (1960) main library on Loyola Avenue. The branches included Algiers and Napoleon, mentioned above, although renamed.^[2]

[edit] Effects of Hurricane Katrina

NOPL was severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina on 29 August 2005. Damage to branch locations ran from two windows broken at the Cita Dennis Hubbell Branch in Algiers to complete destruction of the Martin Luther King Branch in the heavily damaged northern section of the Lower 9th Ward. Photographs of branch building damage are available on the library's website.^[3]

With the devastation of the city and the crippling of city government, NOPL was forced to lay off 90 percent of its employees.^[4] All libraries were closed for over two months. The 19 remaining staff members, when they were able to re-enter the city, began surveying damage and salvaging assets.

Two branches—Hubbell and Nix (on Carrollton Avenue uptown)—re-opened with limited services (no circulation) on 31 October 2005. Part of the Main Library also re-opened. Library administrators began looking for outside sources of funds to begin hiring additional staff.

[edit] Branches

In 2005, the system included three regional, three major and six neighborhood branches; as of late July 2006 about half the branches had reopened, to limited, mainly weekday hours. Excepting the temporary Algier branch which is open to 6 P.M., no branch is open after 5 P.M. Only two branches are open on Saturdays.^[2]

Algiers Regional Branch, 3014 Holiday Drive, Algiers. Opened in 1966. Katrina damage: part of facade blew off two sides; wind driven rain destroyed books and equipment; ceiling tiles fell; mold; closed indefinitely. A temporary location has been opened.

Alvar Branch, 913 Alvar Street. A WPA-built edifice, it opened in 1940. In Katrina, flooded about a foot of water; books, furnishings, and computers damaged; reopened.

Children's Resource Center, 913 Napoleon Avenue. Opened in 1908 (was Napoleon Branch, one of the Carnegie libraries). Two large windows broken by Hurricane Katrina. Branch is open.

Cita Dennis Hubbell Branch, 725 Pelican Avenue, Algiers Point. Opened in 1907, one of the Carnegie libraries; closed by Hurricane Betsy in 1965; re-opened as Algiers Point Branch in 1975; renamed Hubbell in 2002. Two broken windows by Hurricane Katrina; reopened 31 October 2005, with Saturday hours.

East New Orleans Regional Branch, 5641 Read Boulevard. Opened in 1968. Major flooding in Hurricane Katrina; fish in parking lot; closed indefinitely.

Main Library, 219 Loyola Avenue. Opened in 1960. In Hurricane Katrina, some broken windows and floor damage from roof leaks; basement stayed dry. Partially re-opened on 31 October 2005. Some of the Main Library facility used by FEMA and other federal agencies and contractors working on disaster recovery. Limited weekday hours.

Martin Luther King Branch, 1611 Caffin Avenue in the Lower 9th Ward. Opened in 1995. Considered completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Milton H. Latter Memorial Branch, 5120 St. Charles Avenue. Opened in 1948 in a mansion built in 1907. Some roof damage from Hurricane Katrina; re-opened early 2006. Open on Saturdays.

Nix Branch, 1401 S. Carrollton Avenue. Opened in 1930. Katrina damage: broken windows on all sides; re-opened 31 October 2005.

Nora Navra Branch, 1902 St. Bernard Avenue. Opened in 1954. Major flooding in Hurricane Katrina; very little salvageable; closed indefinitely.

Norman Mayer (Gentilly) Branch, 2098 Foy Street. Opened in 1949. Major flooding in Hurricane Katrina; closed indefinitely.

Robert E. Smith Regional Branch, 6301 Canal Boulevard. Opened in 1979. First floor completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina; reopened.

Rosa Keller Branch, 4300 S. Broad Street. Opened in 1993 in a 1918 residence. Major flooding in Hurricane Katrina; wood floors buckled; mold; closed indefinitely.