Washington, I. (2006). Rebuilding a High School Library
Collection After Hurricane Katrina. Public Library
Quarterly, 25(3/4), 159–178. Retrieved from
Librarian Idella Washington discusses her plan to rebuild
Benjamin Franklin High School Library after the devastation that Katrina
brought to New Orleans. Her first step was to assess the damage by looking at
the materials that could be saved and what had to be discarded including
computers and furniture. He next step was to ask who was the community that she
was serving. After the hurricane many people were displaced. Half of the
students attending had left to other cities and the needs had shifted. To
develop her rebuilding plan, she focused on organization and re-thinking
library services. She began with a complete assessment, consideration of
options, locating funding sources, seeking and training volunteers, and developing
partnerships with the community. She prioritized by determining the specific
order to carry the needs assessed while maintaining flexibility. Her next steps
were to evaluate the total process, pre-assess planning process, make changes
and then finalize planning process. After accessing in-kind donations and
grants, she followed the acquisition plan, which involved feedback from staff
and students. She also checked review recommendations, and intellectual freedom
statements as well as reputable current and backlists of books and materials.
This article is extremely helpful for all librarians even
without experiencing a disaster. The plan follows collection development plans
that are helpful to focus on the community that is being served, prioritize
their needs and do everything possible to make partnerships and look for
funding.
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