COMMUNITY LIBRARIES REPAIRED WITH FEMA FUNDS
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20240904/community-libraries-repaired-fema-funds]


Release Date: 
Septanm 4, 2024 

_The allocations for these projects go over half a million dollars_

GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO ― Repairs to several libraries in the
municipalities of Barceloneta, San Lorenzo and San Juan were recently
completed with an allocation of over $652,000 from the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The projects are aimed at
supporting the educational activities of these facilities, which serve
over hundreds of visitors each month.

“Libraries are a fundamental tool for students, teachers and
citizens in general. These spaces facilitate information and provide
resources, in addition to providing learning opportunities where
critical thinking, creativity and teamwork are developed. For FEMA,
these are important characteristics that contribute to the
comprehensive recovery of Puerto Rico, not only today, but their
impact will reach the next generations,” said Federal Disaster
Recovery Coordinator José G. Baquero.

One of the entities that received a federal allocation to repair its
facilities was the Sixto Escobar Library in Barceloneta, inaugurated
in 1994 and organized by a committee of volunteers. With the
obligation of over $532,000, glass and aluminum windows, light
fixtures, doors, acoustic ceilings, air conditioners and several
monitors, among other things, were replaced. This project included a
share of nearly $102,000 for hazard mitigation measures, such as
anchoring systems for the air conditioners and adding a waterproof
asphalt membrane to the roof.

“The library provides services to approximately 600 to 1,800
participants each month. The repairs are extremely important because
they preserve the building and, therefore, benefit tourists and the
community. In addition, these repairs allow us to guarantee our
collections and equipment,” said the supervisor of Federal Programs
for the Municipality of Barceloneta, Berenice Reyes Machado.

Meanwhile, in the Cerro Gordo neighborhood of San Lorenzo, two
educational and community service facilities received FEMA funds. The
Josefa Domingo Virtual Library received an obligation of just over
$61,000, while the Josefa Domingo Community Learning and Recreation
Center was granted nearly $40,000. Both spaces are located in a
disused school that was refurbished for this new purpose and which
were named after the late educator Josefa Domingo Cordon, a native of
Andalusia, Spain, who worked for many years in this facility built in
1950.

The virtual library offers internet, computer, government document
processing and photocopying services. It also has a conference room,
books and magazines in digital and printed format. Here, the roof
waterproofing system, acoustic panels, an air conditioning unit and
signs, among others, were replaced. Mitigation measures, such as the
installation of a secondary waterproofing system, were carried out
with a share of nearly $17,200.

Likewise, at the community center, the roof waterproofing system was
replaced. The share of over $13,600 for mitigation was used to install
a reinforced waterproofing system on the roof and correct a slope to
prevent water accumulation; and to reinforce the roof to prevent it
from being blown off by the wind.

According to the San Lorenzo Recovery Office director, Héctor Román,
educational and social activities and training workshops are held at
the center. In addition, it serves as the headquarters of the
Community Board meetings and from where the community resilience plan
is developed.

Román added that both facilities serve mostly seniors and students,
at a rate of about 100 people per month. “The importance of this
type of center is that it serves as a backbone for technological
advancement and for adult populations in need of services.” 

Furthermore, an allocation of over $19,400 was granted to the
Francisco Oller Library of the Puerto Rico School of Plastic Arts and
Design (EAPD, for its Spanish acronym) for a different restoration
task. The entity is located in the former Nuestra Señora de la
Concepción Hospital in Old San Juan and received the funds to address
a specialized cleaning: restore eight boxes of books with mold and
water damage; and replace a total of 69 damaged books. Specialized
repairs were also made to 21 framed pieces and one piece of 12 frames.

This library offers services to college students, researchers and the
general public, such as group and individual counseling, workshops,
bibliographic searches, and the loan of educational materials and
audiovisual equipment. The library serves an average of 1,900 students
and 100 visitors each month.

According to the EAPD Library director, Estrella Del R. Vázquez
Domínguez, the library has stood out for having the most complete art
and design collections in Puerto Rico.

“Both the repairs and the cleaning, disinfection and mold control
service allowed our staff to return to work inside the facilities, as
the priority was to protect the health of employees and users. Also,
the installation of a new air conditioner allowed us to deal with the
proliferation of fungi that affected our collections,” she added.

For his part, the executive director of the Central Office of
Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), Manuel A. Laboy
Rivera, said that “the work carried out in these libraries, in
addition to providing structural resiliency, preserves the material
and tools that students need for their academic performance. According
to the Quarterly Progress Report as of June 30 of this year, some 15
libraries are in the process of reconstruction at a cost of
approximately $3.7 million. Our team will continue to assist the
municipalities in this important process that contributes to the
preservation of our island’s libraries.”

To date, FEMA has obligated nearly $34 billion for over 11,000
recovery projects in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane
María 

For more information about Puerto Rico’s recovery, 
visit fema.gov/disaster/4339
[https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4339], fema.gov/disaster/4473
[https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4473] and recovery.pr
[https://recovery.pr.gov/en]. Follow us on our social media
at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico
[http://www.facebook.com/femapuertorico], Facebook.com/COR3pr
[http://www.facebook.com/cor3pr] and Twitter @COR3pr
[https://twitter.com/cor3pr].

JOSEFA DOMINGO VIRTUAL LIBRARY, SAN LORENZO, PR

 [Light pink one story building with four white windows on front. View
of a handicap parking.] 
SAN LORENZO, PUERTO RICO (September 21, 2023) — Repairs to several
libraries in the municipalities of San Lorenzo, Barceloneta and San
Juan were recently completed with an allocation of over $652,000 from
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The projects are aimed
at supporting the educational activities of these facilities, which
serve over hundreds of visitors each month. In the Cerro Gordo
neighborhood of San Lorenzo, two educational and community service
facilities received FEMA funds. The Josefa Domingo Virtual Library
received an obligation of just over $61,000, while the Josefa Domingo
Community Learning and Recreation Center was granted nearly $40,000.
Photo FEMA/Eliezer Hernández