How Libraries Respond to Hurricane #Sandy or the #Election: A List from #IST511

This is a summary of the 511 class in November 13th. In the class, the different assignment groups talked about what they found for the assignment of "How Libraries respond to Hurricane Sandy or the Election". Below are the list talked about in the class:

Hurricane Sandy:

• Offering power, heat and Internet
• One awesome example is the Princeton Public Library in NJ. People uploaded videos to Youtube; or read this report from School Library Journal.
• Offering entertainment
• Little Free Library after Hurricane Sandy
• For example, this report on BoingBoing talks about a FLF in NJ.
• Collaborating with FEMA to offer assistance to the victims
• For example, in Queens Public Library or Cape May County Library
• Offering storytime
• A really awesome example is from Queens Public Library
• Donating food
• For example, NYPL donated food to New Yorkers in need after the hurricane
• Bookmobile
• An example comes from Brooklyn Public Library who offered bookmobiles to the affected area.

Election:

• Library card as voting ID
• For example, in Memphis, TN
• Having panels on voting issues
• An example is the Towson branch of the Baltimore County Public Library
• As a part of the "Searching for Democracy: A Public Conversation about the Constitution" Project in San Diego Public Library, local author Mark E. Smith talked about why we need to stop voting
• Pathfinder
• Tulsa City-County Library's pathfinder
• Political Cartoon
• Library of Congress' political cartoon exhibition
• Mock election
• One really serious example is the mock election conducted by The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

Besides all these awesome discussions, Dave asked a very interesting question: how can a library do beyond the building, in other word, being proactive? I don't think I can answer this question right now, but I do think it's important that librarians try to act more proactively rather than just respond.

Kudos to all the classmates in 511!