The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) closed the Beford Library to undergo renovations on October 5, 2012 and was supposed to re-open on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, while the Gravesend Library closed on October 19, 2012 to undergo renovations and was supposed to re-open on November 19, 2012. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, seven other branches were closed: Coney Island Learning Center, Coney Island Library, Gerritsen Beach Library, Kensington Library, McKinley Park Library, Red Hook Library, and Sheepshead Bay Library.
Several branches of the BPL remain closed in the aftermath of the super-storm: the Coney Island Library, the Coney Island Learning Center, the Gerritsen Beach Library, the Red Hook Library, and the Sheepshead Bay Library. Bookmobile Service was provided on Tuesdays and Thursdays from in front of the Coney Island Library and on Wednesdays and Fridays in front of the Gerritsen Beach Library.
Workman Publishing donated ten boxes of books and the non-profit organization LitWorld donated over 100 books to be distributed via BPL Bookmobiles. Thus far, BPL Bookmobiles have distributed over 1,400 free books to children. BPL Bookmobiles are also giving out free copies of The Great Storm & Flood Recovery Children’s Story & Recovery Book.
FEMA was on hand at three locations to answer questions and help fill out forms: the Brighton Beach Branch, the Kings Bay Branch, and the Central Library. The Uni Project, which had to close its office for a week due to a power failure, had a pop-up library in Coffee Park in front of the Red Hook Library on the afternoon of Sunday, November 11, 2012.=
The Saratoga Library closed to undergo repairs until Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. The New Lots Library, closed to undergo renovations, was scheduled to re-open on Christmas Eve (as if it was a Christmas present). The Walt Whitman Library will be closed temporarily for customer service enhancements at the end of business on Friday, December 14, 2012 and will re-open on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.
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Queens Borough was struck hard by Hurricane Sandy. The Queens Central Library and fifty branch libraries were supposed to re-open the Friday, November 2, 2012 after the hurricane struck. Seven libraries that were closed Friday were expected to re-open shortly: Douglaston/Little Neck, Far Rockaway, Far Rockaway Teen Center, Hollis, Howard Beach, Middle Village, and Rochdale. The Arverne, Broad Channel, Peninsula, and Seaside branches remained closed long term.
The Queens Borough Public Library reported four branches were “all-but destroyed.” Approximately 100,000 books and DVDs were destroyed in four of the five branches in the Rockaways, including 40,000 books at the Peninsula Branch.
In “Despite Ruin, Library Offers Books and Community,” Vivian Yee described the damage at the Peninsula Branch in The New York Times.
Nearly four feet of water had smashed through the Peninsula branch’s glass front, tearing thousands of books from the shelves and spewing them onto the sidewalk. Outside, sand, debris, glass and pieces of boardwalk covered the road, and the National Guard patrolled the streets. Recovery centers had not yet opened. So the library, a natural community center, stepped unto the breach.
The Arverne Community Library re-opened on Monday, November 19, 2012. A colorful bus, the Mobile Library, is operating outside the Peninsula Community Library.
All branches collected gently-used coats in collaboration with the 24th Annual New York Cares Coat Drive. Only two branches remain closed due to storm damage: the Broad Channel Community Library and the Seaside Community Library.
Effective Sunday, December 2, 2012, the Queens Library’s Central Library's Media Center will be “closed while we move to our new expanded home.” While it undergoes renovations, the Elmhurst Community Library at 85-08 51st Avenue, Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, is at a temporary location, 85-05 51st Avenue. The Glen Oaks Community Library is currently at its temporary location across the street.
The Queensboro Hill Branch is closed while it undergoes renovations. The Ravenswood Branch, at 35-32 21 Street, and Queensbridge Bridge, at 10-43 41 Avenue, both in Long Island City, now serve as family literacy centers and are closed for general library service.
The Queens Library at Bayside closed at the end of the day on Saturday, December 29, 2012 to undergo renovations. If all goes according to plan, it will re-open next summer.
A mobile library will provide limited service Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. One can call (718) 229-1834 to get the most up-to-date information.
The Queens Library states, “The renovations will include a complete interior makeover. New features include fast self-service check out and 24/7 check in of materials; separate areas for teens, adults and children; a bright, new décor; full handicap accessibility."
The 10,300-square-foot Bayside Library was built in 1965. It is one of the more heavily used libraries in Queens Borough.
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The Town of Pelham Public Library in Pelham, New York had to close temporarily but soon re-opened.
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The Frederick L. Ehrman Medical Library, the main library of the NYU Langone Medical Center, located on the lower level of the Medical School Science building, was badly damaged. The NYU Langone Medical Center stated on its Web site
The NYU Health Sciences Libraries sustained considerable damage to its physical plant, holdings and IT infrastructure during Hurricane Sandy. We are assessing the damage and working with the NYU Langone Medical Center to restore essential services and recover as much as we can.
Until further notice, all of our locations are closed. This includes Ehrman Medical Library, Bellevue Medical Library, HJD Medical Library, Waldmann Dental Library and the Ehrman Environmental Library at Sterling Forest.
We hope to have rudimentary access to many electronic materials early next week and will post that information here.
The University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Library System (the Regional Medical Library for the Mid-Atlantic Region) has graciously offered to provide back-up support for literature search needs for NYU care providers and to provide copies of needed journal articles. Please email… [HSL_SandyResponse [at] nyumc.org] with any clinical information needs. This will be monitored by NYULMC librarians and relayed to our colleagues at Pitt. We are grateful to U. Pitt. for providing this back-up service.
Faculty and staff members should check their e-mail accounts for updates.
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Although the Main Library of the Atlantic City Free Public Library (ACFPL) at 1 North Tennessee Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey 08401, stayed open, the Atlantic City Library Express and The Atlantic City Historical Museum closed.
Note that the ACFPL had already planned to permanently close the Atlantic City Library Express, located at 3001 Atlantic Avenue, at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 3, 2012.
The plan was for the branch library operations to move to the new Richmond Branch, which was supposed to open in 2013. Until November 24, 2012, patrons were still able to return borrowed books and DVDs to the drop-off box in front of the Atlantic City Library Express.
After November 24th, patrons had to return items at the Main Library. The Atlantic City Historical Museum, located at Garden Pier, remains closed due to storm damage.
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The Belmar Public Library in Belmar, New Jersey is closed until further notice. A Hurricane Relief Distribution Center opened at the Belmar Arts Council Building. The Belmar Public Library subsequently re-opened.
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Urban Librarians Unite (ULU) is accepting donations of children’s books and money to purchase children’s books. Send donations to Urban Libraries Unite, 45-06 Queens Blvd, Suite 120, Sunnyside, NY 11104. Include a note that the contribution is for Sandy Relief efforts.
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