Haiti suffered great devastation as a result of a powerful earthquake on January 12. Haiti Reads is an organization that promotes literacy in Haiti, and it operated a small community library in Port-au-Prince prior to the earthquake. While the library building is still standing, it is unsound; the organization needs funds to find a new location and book donations to help rebuild its collection to serve the community.
The International Information Exchange Caucus (KIIE) of SLA is organizing a book and fund-raising drive for Haiti Reads. A registry has been set up online and the catalogs of several New Orleans’ bookstores, including Octavia Books and Garden District Book Shop, have been searched and appropriate books selected. If you are in New Orleans for SLA 2010 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO, we urge you to visit these shops and purchase a title or two for Haiti Reads.
For those who will not be attending SLA2010, you can still help. Monetary donations are needed to rebuild and ship books to Haiti. Books from some online vendors have been included in the registry for those who will not be in New Orleans but would like to donate books. Please direct shipments of books ordered online to Jeanette Attisso, c/o DANK German Language School, 4740 N. Western Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625. Such donations can also be made online.
The greatest need is for books written in Haitian Creole (Kreyol). Children’s books written in French, especially standards like Barbar books, translations of Dr. Seuss, and African-centered topics (e.g., folk tales from African countries) are also popular and in high-demand. Several independent bookstores in New Orleans stock these types of books. One of these stores, Octavia Books, is featured in a story about how small businesses in New Orleans have helped the city to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Please bring the books that you purchase to the International Information Exchange Caucus breakfast on Wednesday, June 16, at 8:00 AM in the convention center (Ticketed Event #705). Jeanette Attisso, the president and founder of Haiti Reads, will be one of the speakers featured at the caucus’ breakfast. She will share the history of the organization, and how its work has brought much joy to the children of Haiti.
For additional information about Haiti Reads, please see the blog entry from School Library Journal. If you cannot make the caucus meeting at SLA 2010, just look for the Haiti Reads sign in the registration area in the convention center and deposit your book donations there.
By purchasing and donating a book in New Orleans, you will be helping these children as well as helping small businesses (bookstores!) in New Orleans.
Please help rebuild and promote literacy in Haiti while supporting small businesses in New Orleans. Go to the KIIE website for additional details and links to bookstores in New Orleans stocking books in Kreyol.
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