“We need to think about what stories need to survive this [911] and intentionally see that those stories survive.” — Kathleen D. Roe, retired chief of archival services, New York State Archives in Albany.
Twenty-three years ago, this week, we were glued to our televisions watching in shock as the events of September 11, 2001, unfolded. The damage was immense. Planes crashed, skyscrapers collapsed, near-by buildings were destroyed, over 3,000 lives were lost, and countless families were impacted. The attacks also brought about significant changes in U.S. defense policy, homeland security, and civil liberties.
But why does a library care? According to a 2021 issue of American Libraries magazine, 21 libraries housed in the World Trade Centers were confirmed destroyed. Additionally, many nonprofit, legal, and corporate libraries were lost when the buildings collapsed. Just two weeks later, Kathleen D. Roe and a team of archival librarians began the critical work of documenting, collecting, and cataloging items and stories to ensure that evidence would be preserved for history. Another librarian, Brewster Kahle, responded by creating a repository of TV news broadcasts chronicling the events of 9/11.
And in a small, faraway community, a tiny island and its library stepped up in an extraordinary way. Gander, a town of about 10,000 people in Newfoundland, Canada, welcomed more than 6,500 passengers and crew members when their flights were unexpectedly diverted there. The community rallied to find food and beds for these confused visitors, and the library became a communication hub. Extending its hours, the library put all 30 public-use computers to work, waived fees for long-distance calls, and made every available space open to the unexpected guests. The local phone company even set up additional phone kiosks in front of the library. Gander and its library supported these people for nearly a week while U.S. airspace remained closed.
This week, as we pause to remember those who fell, let’s also remember all the helpers. Yes, the firefighters, first responders, searchers, and all who supported them. But also, the libraries—places where people could find help and reliable information, both in Gander and all across the United States. Support your library. Get your always free library card because the library is here to help.
“Libraries are as important as schools and hospitals.” — Andrew Carnegie, 19th-century industrialist and philanthropist who built 1,679 libraries in 33 years.