Historic Algiers library gets another chance
Posted by Shannon
When Cita Dennis Hubbell moved back to Algiers in 1970 after living around the world with her naval officer husband, George Hubbell, she was dismayed to find her local library, the one she had spent so much time in as a child, shuttered by damage from Betsy.
Boards blocked the large front windows, and the library, at 725 Pelican Ave., was in a terrible state, George Hubbell recalled Wednesday morning.
Born on Belleville Street and raised on Elmira Street just blocks from the library, Cita Hubbell, a registered nurse, couldn’t stand to see the historic building, built in 1907 with a grant from the Carnegie Foundation, in such condition.
Determined to get the library reopened, she marshaled neighborhood support, including from the Algiers Point Association, which the Hubbells and other active neighbors had formed in the early 1970s.
The rest is history. Despite the objection of the city librarian at the time, the City Council, perhaps persuaded by the two busloads of people who lobbied in support of the library, provided money to renovate the branch. The Algiers Point library, which had been closed for a decade, reopened on Oct. 14, 1975.
Fast forward to 2005, though, and the scenario seems so sadly similar.
Like all New Orleans public libraries, the now Cita Dennis Hubbell Algiers Point Library, renamed for its longtime supporter after her death from cancer in 2001, was shuttered in the weeks after Hurricane Katrina.
“One of the first things the city did was lay off the librarians, along with hundreds of other city workers,” George Hubbell said.
But, struggling to bring back city services, even in a much reduced state, New Orleans officials announced in October that the Algiers Point Library would be one of three locations reopened in the city. The larger Algiers Regional Library had sustained heavy damage in Katrina and had to be gutted.
Upon hearing the announcement, Hubbell, along with other Algiers Point residents, immediately jumped into gear, determined to help keep the library afloat.
Jeez, Hubbells rock, don’t they? Yeah, I thought you’d agree.
December 23rd, 2005 at 2:12 am
A Christmas wish for the memory of our beloved Belleville and Behrman classmate Cita Dennis Hubbell-. Against all odds,
Cita’s crusade revived the old Algiers Carnegie Library which now bears her name.On ‘this hallowed ground’, the joy and adventure of reading were revealed to many Algerines (including this one).
Cita would be so proud and happy to know that “The Hubbell”
was the first NOPL branch to reopen post-Katrina.
Joyeux.
Noel E. Parmentel Jr [ xAlgerine@Netscape.Net.]
ChristmasTide 2005
January 12th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
Hi– I’m the newsletter editor of The Hubbell Family Historical Society, looking for photos of the library branch and possibly of Cita Dennis Hubbell for publication in our upcoming “Annual 2005″. I’d like to include the story of Cita Hubbell and the library among our historical profiles. The “Annual” is distributed to the approximately 550 members of THFHS at the end of January. For more info about THFHS and the descendants of Richard Hubball, pleas check out our web site!