While growing up in Lakeview, the Smith branch of the New Orleans Public Library was a big part of my life. It fueled my love of reading and even provided some summer movie treats.
Katrina took that away for the current children in Lakeview. The City of New Orleans is proposing that the library be returned by 2018, by which time almost a whole generation of children will have missed the fun and education a public library provides.
I’m convinced this can be rectified.
Some facts:
The Harrison Redevelopment Plan originally proposed two options for the library, reconstuction or relocation to the Edward Hynes school site. The plan shows $2,000,000 of LRA-1 funds earmarked for the library.
The Master Library Plan calls for a storefront library to be built in the interim near Elysian Fields and Robert E. Lee.
The Master Library Plan calls for the renovated Smith Library to be a “community” library with a minimum of 12,000 sq ft. The old library was just over 9,000 sq. ft.
Questions to be answered
Can we revise the date forward? What would that take?
Would bringing in private funding help move the city to a more realistic timeframe for reconstruction?
Are other sites viable? Such as the old Robert E. Lee theater site?
Who within city government can help either answer questions or champion the cause?
Would the Friends of NOPL help champion reconstruction of the Smith library if community backing was present?
Who within the community is willing to join a movement to bring the library back sooner than 2018?
