Resources for
Community Resilience
Community Resilience
After hurricane Irma in 2017 PJL’s main building was severely damaged. PJL moved in 2018 to a much smaller location looking forward to plans of rebuilding the library.
In the meantime PJL will implement two (2) satellites and mini-libraries buildings at the Asha Stevens Hillside School and BelvedereCommunity Center. These satellites together with a small physical space will be considered a miniature library which will provide similar services at the currentPJL location in Philipsburg. PJL will do frequent rotation of the book collection. PJL wants to be accessible to seniors and students as well as stimulate reading within these communities.
At the Asha Stevens Hillside School, PJL will use their old/written-off library bus and they will renovate this as their first satellite. As for the one at Belvedere Community Center, PJL will purchase a40-foot container which will be altered in manner that it will look like a mini library as well as provide sitting area for those to read.
The Philipsburg Jubilee Library was founded in 1923, the year in which Queen Wilhelmina celebrated her silver jubilee. Hence the name Philipsburg Jubilee Library. The first books were purchased with money donated by some of the wealthier people on St. Maarten. A big problem was the absence of a permanent building. Time and again the library was moved around in order to make room for offices, schools, etc.
It took until 1984 for the library to move to its new building which unfortunately got destroyed by hurricane Irma in 2017.
