A Message from our Director in the Aftermath of Sandy

First, on behalf of DLIS I want you to know how saddened we were to hear of the sufferings many of you endured as a result of the storm. We extend our warmest regards and hopes as you continue to recover and will work with you in all appropriate ways. The DLIS community is safe but like many in the area is still working on returning to normal.

On Monday, Nov. 5th St. John’s reopened all its campuses except Manhattan where flooding caused damage to underlying systems. Manhattan operations moved to Queens. With varying degrees of connectivity experienced by students and faculty, getting back to the semester at hand continues to be a process of recovery.

This fall’s symposium was canceled and we are still deliberating about how to make it happen. We will have more information for you soon.

Our newsletter this month, will focus on the events of the storm, as it weighs on all of our hearts. Libraries are community minded spaces, and Sandy’s effects on our communities has been devastating for so many of our neighbors. Before we are able to move on from Sandy, we look to how we as a community can recover together, and find ourselves stronger. Please let us know how we can help.

Hurricane Sandy’s Impact on Libraries

How libraries are helping the community:

• The New York Public Library: Donated food on November 6th NYPL Donates Food to New Yorkers

 ●  Queens Borough Public Library: Offering information help to the public in Queens at all of its functioning branches; includes information on obtaining food and water, FEMA grants, and how to help those affected by the hurricane: http://www.queenslibrary.org/hurricanesandy

●  Brooklyn Public Library: Offers information about public resources including Bookmobiles for patrons in affected areas, warming centers in affected areas, supply drives, and lists of other resources, such as the Red Cross and FEMA, available in Brooklyn: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/hurricane

●  For a recap of how libraries in the area fared, ways to provide relief aid, and the creative initiatives established by professionals in response to Hurricane Sandy, see American Libraries’ “Libraries Weather the Storm” and School Library Journal’s “Libraries respond to Hurricane Sandy”.

Hurricane Sandy Relief Sources

Available to general public:

NY State/NYC assistance for Hurricane Sandy Victims

http://www.governor.ny.gov/storm-resources (How to apply for FEMA, other federal disaster aid funding, food assistance, warming centers, shelter info. Etc NY state assistance )

http://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/aboutus/?ourservices (Salvation Army, food, temporary housing assistance)

http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/foodandwater.html (food, water, blanket/ excess needs distribution locations)

http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/hurricane_shelters.html (emergency shelter locations NYC)

http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/dasc.html (NYC disaster relief distribution and economic assistance centers/apply for loans, temporary cash assistance, SNAP assistance, Medicaid assistance)

http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/medical_vans.html (mobile medical van+ locations, medical care and prescribing common drugs for those in need. Can also call 311)

Tax extensions/ additional IRS info for relief to Sandy Victims

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Provides-Tax-Relief-to-Victims-of-Hurricane-Sandy;-Return-Filing-and-Tax- Payment-Deadline-Extended-to-Feb.-1,-2013

Available for Students:

•  Student Affairs Help Program: Students can call (718) 990-1422 during regular business hours or can visit Bent Hall, Garden Level to speak to a Help Center representative in person. The Student Affairs Help Center is dedicated to helping students with problem-solving individual challenges they are facing, including after-effects of the recent hurricane, planning for working through the remaining semester, etc.
• “Let’s Talk” Program-Sandy Sessions: The Office of Student Affairs, in collaboration with Campus Ministry, has set up a program where St. John’s students can feel comfortable and welcome talking through any issues that they may be dealing with due specifically to Hurricane Sandy. Professionals are available for unscheduled appointments in a casual setting on both the Queens and Staten Island Campuses. Check this website for exact times and locations for meeting with these professionals: http://www.stjohns.edu/ services/studentwellness/lets_talk.stj All St. John’s students are welcome!

Meanwhile, on Queens Campus…

During the Hurricane, school was closed, but many students were still living on campus. We are relieved that they did not feel too many of Sandy’s effects. DLIS caught up with our office assistant, Isabelle Friend, to hear an undergraduate’s experience.

Imagine flipping through the television channels and channel after channel is wrought with news broadcasters informing the general public of the state of emergency we are all in. Hurricane Sandy has hit the whole East Coast and power lines are down, trees are ferociously attacking houses and people are being evacuated from their homes. But as I look out my dorm room window all I can think is that this is no hurricane, they must be exaggerating. It’s only a normal thunderstorm; maybe the wind is a little bit stronger. This is one weak hurricane if I have ever seen one.

The on-campus residents of St. John’s University were sitting pretty in the midst of Sandy. We had electricity, hot running water, and plenty of food. Each day around five we would all anxiously await the text, phone call and email informing us that school had been canceled once again.

Everything inside the gates of St. John’s seemed the same as it always had, but once you stepped outside the gates you definitely weren’t in Kansas anymore. Trees were lying on their sides, streets were closed off and there were barely any people out. For all those who were affected by Hurricane Sandy we realize and feel for all those that lost everything but fortunately we did not experienced Hurricane Sandy in the same way.

A Time for Service

Opportunities to volunteer in Hurricane Sandy aftermath

In the aftermath of natural disasters, many of those affected depend on the help of the community to get things back on track. For those of us at DLIS who are able and willing to help the communities who lost homes, valuables, and even basic necessities, here are some places to contact to help with the relief efforts and give back to our communities in this trying time:

•   Monday, November 12 – Emergency Blood Drive – Law School & Welcome Center on Queens and Campus Center Gameroom on Staten Island.
•  Ongoing Coat Drive – Multicultural Affairs is hosting a coat drive for New York Cares. Bring any winter coats to Student Engagment in DAC 124. Email Rosa Yen with questions at yenc@stjohns.edu
•  Queens College Evacuation Center – They need volunteers all the time. Specifically, they need people to walk the dogs that are staying at the shelter from 7a.m. – 9a.m. each day. E-mail stjservice@stjohns.edu if you are interested in helping out!
•  Foodbank NYC- This group offers food and other resources to thousands of New York families every month. They are especially in need of resources and man power in the wake of the hurricane and the upcoming holiday season. Check out their website and all of the opportunities students have to give back: http://volunteer.foodbanknyc.org/
• NYC Service – Accepting monetary, food, clothing, and goods donations all around the city. Read about all of the different organizations to which you can donate time, labor, efforts, etc., to help those affected by Sandy: http://www.nycservice.org/