Recovery and renewal: libraries lead the way in post‐Katrina New Orleans

The purpose of this paper is to present observations of hurricane‐damaged New Orleans and the current status of library services for the area.

The paper presents the author's personal observations from a visit to a library conference, and a commentary from residents and library staff.

Libraries in the New Orleans area sustained extreme damage, but through the efforts of library staff, they have emerged with a much higher community profile. Now the library is considered when any major event or recovery effort is mounted in the area.

The article profiles the continuing challenges for a major city that experiences massive destruction and devastation after a natural disaster.