Galveston's Library

One of the places in Galveston that was badly flooded by Hurricane Ike was Rosenberg Library. It's near downtown, where 10 to 12 feet of sea water came in from Galveston Bay, and all that water completely wiped out everything on the library's first floor. Basically, the entire children's library. This first picture is a view looking in from the door. The spiral staircase leads up to the adult section, and the children's library is, I believe, off to the left, if the camera's facing the direction I think it is. You see all the CDs in the right foreground? Mud and salt water isn't good for CDs.

They lost the entire children's collection. Not just books, but shelving and chairs and DVDs and CDs and finger puppets and everything. The wave action picked up everything that wasn't fastened down--and some things that were (I think I see part of the front counter in this second picture.) and tossed them around. They do not even have shelves to put books on, so they can't really accept donations of actual books. But if y'all have a few dollars to spare--even just $5--that would go a long way to getting Rosenberg Library to the point where they CAN get books (and other materials) back in the hands of the kids.

Right now, the children's librarians are doing mobile storytimes. It's a "You provide the place and kids, we'll bring the stories and fun," kind of thing where people can call and request a librarian with a story. Even with their facility in this kind of mess (and they are beginning to get the mess cleaned out--beginning to), they're providing services.

Parts of Galveston, like my neighborhood, escaped with very little damage. Other parts--well, they look like these pictures. (You can see the layered mud on the floor in this last picture--a lot of the books and other materials were sunk in that stuff.) There are so many needs here, so many people that need help. This is the one that speaks to me. Books have made a difference in my life. Books need to be available to make a difference in the lives of the children of Galveston.

Y'all can visit Rosenberg Library on their website, where there is a donation button, or you can send a donation to Rosenberg Library, 2310 Sealy Ave., Galveston, TX 77550. (Any donation is tax-deductible.) Anything is appreciated.

Thanks, y'all.