Helen Boelens kindly forwarded this information to Bright Ideas:
Here is information provided by IFLA (The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions ) via Karen Usher, who is the secretary of the IFLA – School Libraries and Resource Centers Section about how (school) librarians can help colleagues in Haiti.
On behalf of ANCBS, Karl von Habsburg, President, sends this message:
The Association of National Committees of the Blue Shield (ANCBS) wants to help the people of Haiti.
The earthquake in Haiti of 12th January has caused an enormous devastation. The amount of people that lost their lives is beyond imagination. At the moment basic humanitarian aid and the rebuilding of a functioning infrastructure is crucial.
However, as soon as the situation in Haiti has become more stable, Blue Shield wants to help to enable experts from all over the world to support their Haitian colleagues in assessing the damage to the cultural heritage and therefore to the identity of their country. Subsequently, Blue Shield wants to support recovery, restoration and repair measures necessary to rebuild libraries, archives, museums, monuments and sites.
An important task of ANCBS is to coordinate information. ANCBS needs to know who and where the experts are. ANCBS therefore calls upon archivists, restorers, curators, librarians, architects and other experts to register online as a volunteer.
ANCBS wants to be able to bring experts in contact with those organizations that will send missions to Haiti, and make sure that volunteers will be informed about the situation in Haiti.
Please join Blue Shield to help your Haitian colleagues.
You may find the application form via: http://haiti2010.blueshield-international.org/.
For the statement of Blue Shield on the Haitian earthquake see: http://www.ancbs.org/.
The actions of Blue Shield can also be followed on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&gid=247281734340 and Twitter: http://twitter.com/blueshieldcoop.
Please feel free to spread this message!