For librarians all over the world


Noboru SHIOMI
Chairman, Board of Directors
The Japan Library Association

Thank you very much for the large number of sincere sympathies, encouraging messages, and support from libraries and librarians all over the world after the serious disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011, which resulted in damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power plants. I would like to express appreciation to you all, as the representative of librarians in Japan.

The toll of dead and missing people has risen to over 20,000. A large number of libraries have been damaged, and some have not reopened yet. Some libraries are still being used as shelters for survivors, and some library employees have been working hard for the rescue operations here and there.

The entire staff at the Japan Library Association have been working hard to support and rebuild the affected areas, to repair damaged libraries, and to heal the wounded hearts of victims, especially children.

It is important to carry out library activities in order to face this critical situation. By providing materials and information services for people in the affected areas, we can help them regain their human dignity and return to their routine lives. We are making every effort to arrange library programs to encourage the survivors.

The Japan Library Association would like to share information on the current library situation in the areas affected by the disaster as well as support activities with libraries all over the world. [http://www.jla.or.jp/earthquake-e/situationreport.html] We can pass on what we have learned from each other.

Thank you for your kind attention. We will appreciate it if you could keep on watching the situation in Japan.