Library status update
(updated 01 July 2010)
The Hubbell Library is open for business in a small temporary location at the carriage house behind the Algiers Courthouse. Meanwhile, our permanent building on Pelican Avenue is closed for major repairs and renovation. That project should have been finished by now; instead, repairs haven't even begun.
Some money was budgeted for structural repairs and renovation, and an architect was selected. Unfortunately, a) it was then determined that the budgeted amount was not enough, and b) priority was given to building new regional branches elsewhere in the city. Meanwhile, our historic Carnegie library building sits dormant, exposed to the elements. We're very concerned.
See what you can do to help save our neighborhood library.
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Background
The Hubbell Library's permanent home at 725 Pelican Avenue is closed until further notice. Inspectors from the City of New Orleans Department of Safety & Permits judged that the roof was "in imminent danger of collapse". The library was closed to the public on 24 May 2008.
This is the second time in the library's 100-year history that it has been "temporarily closed for repairs". The first time was from 1966 to 1975. The community is determined not to have another decade-long closure. Meanwhile, the entire New Orleans West Bank is being (under-) served by two miniscule, temporary libraries—including ours.
The May 2008 emergency closure was sudden and unexpected. Patrons, friends and neighbors of the library immediately began an e-mail and telephone campaign to urge the New Orleans City Council to get the library repaired and renovated as quickly as possible.
City Councilmember James Carter reported on 01 June 2008 that the Hubbell Library repair and renovation project was on the city's Project Development Unit agenda and on the list of projects for immediate action. Also by 01 June 2008 an architect had apparently been assigned, which means a repair contract could have been negotiated and signed by the end of July 2008, which could have meant the library might have been repaired and reopened by late 2009.
Well, none of that happened. City emergency projects, including ours, were delayed for a variety of reasons. Then, after money was budgeted, Concordia Architects determined that the amount was not enough for the structural repairs and other work needed to repair and preserve the historic building. The city is apparently looking for sources of additional money so that repairs can begin.
Unfortunately, it's not clear who at City Hall is in charge of this whole affair. We do, however, need to make noise! See what you can do to help this important branch library survive.
If you're a Twitterer, keep in touch at twitter.com/hubbell
On Facebook? Please join our Facebook group!
