March 06, 2007
Thanks for a Job Well Done
The press release described the flood at the Hesburgh Library on Monday, February 5, 2007. It described the fantastic job done by the library staff and faculty together with employees from the fire department, security police department, facilities maintenance, and risk management and safety, in minimizing the flood damage and cleaning up after the damage. The library was closed for less than seven hours, which is a tribute to the speed with which you accomplished the job.
Overall, the damage to books was relatively minor. Although about 1,500 books were slightly wet, only about 100 required further preservation treatment for water damage. The value of the preventive actions taken is seen in the much larger number books (about 8,500) removed from the shelves during the flood as well as the many stack ranges covered with heavy draped heavy plastic sheeting over the shelves so as to protect additional thousands of books from water damage. We owe special thanks to the Preservation Department' for making sure we are prepared for disasters of this kind with adequate supplies and a checklist of what has to be done when flooding occurs.
I am very proud of the responsive and responsible way in which all of you worked together - calmly, smoothly and effectively - to ensure the security of as much of our collections as was humanly possible. You did a wonderful job and we are grateful to you. I was not there that Monday as I was in Quebec City representing Indiana libraries of all kinds at the OCLC Members Council meeting. Dan Marmion called me right away so I knew of the problem. I also knew the library was in good hands - yours. Thank you very much.
Jennifer Younger
Edward H. Arnold Director of University Libraries
See pictures http://libstaff.library.nd.edu/break_time/images/water_damage/index.htm