A dozen schools in Louisiana and Mississippi are to get a total of more than $500,000 in grants from the Laura Bush Foundation to rebuild their libraries.

First Lady Laura Bush made the announcement Monday as she visited a school in New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood, which was badly flooded by Hurricane Katrina.

Bush visited Henry C. Schaumburg School and helped a group of students there edit a book they have been working on since the school reopened in September.

Bush says rebuilding libraries is an important part of rebuilding schools.