New Orleans Public Library

The New Orleans Public Library fights the good fight despite limited resources and severe damage from Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of the Storm, 90% of NOPL employees were laid off, leaving a staff of 19 for the entire NOPL system. At the time of writing three of 14 branches are served by temporary structures, five are closed indefinitely and six, including the main headquarters listed here, have been reopened. The library is worth visiting just for the sake of supporting its good works, although it is a lovely building in its own right. The Louisiana Room, on the 3rd floor, is a good resource of regional history, while the computer room is handy for getting online for free.