Reports from Iowa Libraries Affected by Flooding

Several Iowa libraries were seriously damaged by flooding in 2008:  Cedar Rapids Public Library's main building in downtown CR; the National Czech and Slovak Library and Museum located in the Czech Village in CR; and the New Hartford Public Library.  The music and art libraries at the University of Iowa were also affected by floods.  The small book collection (1,000 volumes) at the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa in Cedar Rapids was completely lost in the flood.

Monetary donations are welcome and may be sent to the following:

Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation
500 First Street Southeast
Cedar Rapids, IA. 52401
www.crlibrary.info

Friends of New Hartford Public Library
P O Box 292
New Hartford, IA. 50660
www.newhartford.lib.ia.us

30 Sixteenth Avenue Southwest
Cedar Rapids, IA. 52401-5904
www.ncsml.org

P.O. Box 1626
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-1626
www.blackiowa.org

The following public libraries had water damage ranging from mild to fairly serious:  Chelsea, Creston, Elkader, Iowa Falls, Rockford, St. Charles, and Waterloo. Although there was water in the basement of the University of Iowa Main Library in Iowa City, flood waters did not reach the library.

September 9, 2008 - Flood Damage to Libraries

Here is a link to an article in the August 8 Cedar Rapids Gazette regarding the Cedar Rapids Public Library's situation.

Jill Sanders of the Elkader Public Library e-mailed the State Library on August 22 with the following update.

"We have gotten an estimate on the wall in the basement and they are not going to be able to fix as we had hoped (we had hoped for a total waterproofing of the wall on both sides). So all we are going to be able to do is fix the holes in the limestone wall but for the future that isn't going to keep {rain} out if we have another of that magnitude (and they tell us another like that is certainly possible). So that cost will be $1800.

There is a ledge on the library building that goes out over the river and with the fence gone people have been traversing the ledge to get below the dam to fish.

But now the city has begun plans for a new flood wall starting at the base of the library and going to the Keystone bridge that will be 7 foot tall.  Then maybe the businesses to the south of the library can get their foundations fixed."

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August 4, 2008 - Flood Damage to Libraries

From the University of Iowa:  The Art Library and the Rita Benton Music Library are still both closed due to the flooding of the arts campus at the University of Iowa. The Art Library is located on the second floor of the new Art Building West; and the Music Library is located on the second floor of the Voxman Music Building. After the Iowa River receded, flood recovery professionals began the clean-up process. Among the first steps the clean-up crews take is to install a large de-humidifier to circulate dry air throughout the building including the two libraries. Since Voxman Music is an older building crews have had to perform asbestos abatement on the lower level that was flooded.

Faculty, staff and students in art, music and theater have been relocated across campus and around Iowa City for the next academic year. Rijn Templeton, head of the Art Library, and Ruthann McTyre, head of Music Library have been in regular contact with the academic departments their libraries serve. Relocation issues for staff in the Art and Music libraries also remains in flux. Though most of them will be located in the Main Library's Information Arcade for the next year, Rijn and Ruthann may split their time in offices near relocated art and music faculty.

A materials request and delivery system is being developed so library staff can retrieve requested items from the Art and Music libraries for coming academic year.

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August 1, 2008 - Flood Damage to Libraries

From the Cedar Rapids PL Web site -- Viewing the first floor of the Cedar Rapids Public Library is deceiving. The ground floor has been stripped down to its concrete floor and walls and looks much like it did 25 years ago—under construction. Onlookers would never guess that just four weeks ago, it held secrets of the universe and answers to most questions.

Everything on the first floor of the 85,000 square foot facility - which occupies a city block - was lost to the flood including the entire adult and youth collections, public access computers, computer labs, and a state of the art check-out system.

Approximately 200,000 items in the collection were ruined by more than five feet of river water, including adult & youth fiction and non-fiction books, reference books, journals, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, and CDs.

In addition, thousands of furniture items, including tables, chairs, book carts, filing cabinets, shelving, and display racks were damaged beyond repair. Also, hundreds of pieces of electronic equipment, including computers, printers, fax machines, microfilm readers, projectors, recording equipment, video cameras, amplifiers, cash registers, electronic check out systems, security cameras, and public address systems—lost.

"The value of the library’s contents is still being assessed," says Interim Director Tamara Glise. "You can’t just look up the cost of a book on Amazon.com and figure that’s the replacement cost. Libraries have to include costs associated with processing each item."

The CRPL received good news recently when it was notified that items on the downtown library’s second floor—including children’s books—are in good condition and will be able to be re-circulated. "As you can imagine, when we heard this, we were ecstatic," said Glise. The books will be removed soon and stored until the library has secured temporary space. There isn’t room at the West Side Branch to display an estimated 60,000 children’s books in addition to approximately 32,000 items that were checked out at the time of the flood.

Damage to the building's major systems including its electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems - as well as the facility's structural soundness -- is still being evaluated.

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July 21, 2008 - Flood Damage to Libraries

Below is information from Tamara Glise, Cedar Rapids Public Library sent over Iowalib Friday, July 18, Under her message is more information from the Cedar Rapids Public Library's Web site.

Tamara Glise - Cedar Rapids

It’s been a pretty wild month, but we have been bolstered by fantastic support from our Board, support groups, city government & community.  I’ll boil it down to the basics:  Our facility received about 5 feet of water on the main floor.  It was unsafe for us to enter for a couple weeks after the flooding, which limited what we were able to save. We estimate (very roughly) that about two-thirds of our collection was lost.  The children’s illustration collection is safe, as are the 2^nd floor books (mostly children’s books.)

We are currently operating out of our West Side Branch in Westdale mall.  Bear in mind that our Main library is about 85,000 square feet, and West Side is 2,600 square feet. That will give you an idea of the tight quarters.  The mall management has generously donated a couple extra empty storefronts that approximately double the space we have there (around 5,000 SF with the addition.)  We are planning to open our “West Side Annex” with a Grand Opening celebration on August 1. 

Many of our staff has been assigned to help other city departments during this emergency. We’re grateful for this opportunity to keep our people employed until we are able to re-open in a larger space (as yet to be determined.)  Our downtown library will probably not be useable for at least a year. Our staff is fantastic!

Five of our own staff members suffered significant flood damage to their homes; two people lost their homes completely.

The library’s email server is still down. I have re-subscribed to this listserv using a city email address, so please use this address if you need to contact me.

We’re truly lucky in so many ways.  A third of our collection is intact, our building appears to have survived, our staff remains with us, and people have been wonderful to us.  We’re counting our blessings every day.

University of Iowa Libraries -

The Main Library at the University of Iowa re-opened to the public on Wednesday, July 9 after being closed due to the flooding of the Iowa River for three and a half weeks. Luckily floodwaters never breached the Main Library, however nearly two inches of groundwater came up through drains in the lower level storage areas. These storage areas house Special Collections materials and books on compact shelving as well as some electrical equipment. Thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers, we were able to clear five feet of lower shelves in Special Collections as well as sections of difficult-to-replace books.

When the Main Library re-opened Special Collections materials filled the third floor hallway and the fifth floor study lounge, and evacuated books filled the tables in the second and third floor reading rooms. An estimated 800 seats were unavailable due to the displaced materials. A computer lab in the Main Library, the largest on campus, is not operational; a transformer that supplies power to those stations was damaged and needs to be replaced.

Staff members and a few volunteers began moving these collections back to the lower level; however this is a slow and complex process. The Special Collections have been completely cleared from the third floor, evacuated books and materials still remain on the second, third and fifth floors. We hope to have all materials returned to the lower level before the beginning of fall semester.

New Hartford

With the generous support of several Iowa librarians, the New Hartford Public Library will soon have children's programs in a city building.  According to library director Valerie Ballhagen in a conversation late last week, work continues to take place inside the library building, including new walls, carpet and an electrical system.

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July 11, 2008 - Flood Damage to Libraries

New Hartford Public Library

Hopes to reopen around the first of August.  Library Director Valerie Ballhagen said electricians were working on a new electrical system.  They will have new carpet and walls.  The State Library asked a building consultant to work with Valerie and she said that was very helpful.  Libraries around the area will come in August to provide children's programs for New Hartford kids.

Elkader Public Library

Is still computing the damage costs, but have already spent $9,000 for new furnaces and a water heater.  Director Jill Sanders said they are still waiting for someone to look at a damaged wall, and a security fence by the river has to be replaced.  The library sits right next to the river.

Cedar Rapids Public Library

While the Cedar Rapids governing authorities predicted it will take $9 billion for flood recovery, rebuilding and flood mitigation, they did not sort out the total damage and rebuilding costs to the library alone.  The first floor of the library was gutted.  FEMA and the Corp of Engineers have not determined whether the building can be saved. It is still undetermined when, if ever, the library will be able to move back into the building. In the meantime, staff are trying to find temporary space in order to reopen. 

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July 3, 2008 - Flood Damage to Libraries

The African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa

Lost its entire library collection (1,000 books) in the Cedar Rapids flood. Below is information from curator Susan Kuecker.  She will happily accept monetary donations.  Checks may be made out to the African American Historical Museum of Iowa, P.O. Box 1626, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-1626.  Please write "Library Fund" in the memo line of the check.

The library will also accept books as described below.  Please contact Kuecker at curator@blackiowa.org before sending anything.

From Susan Kuecker:

We are in the position to accept some books, but no more than 10 from any one source at any one time. 

Some of the books that we lost that are the hardest to replace are older books considered to be classics in their field.  We would accept paperbacks in good condition, but do prefer hardbacks.  We am limiting books on fiction and poetry to African American authors with an Iowa connection - these will generally be attendees of the Iowa Writer's workshop. 

We are interested in older books that show by-gone attitudes and also books considered classics.  We are not interested in biographies or autobiographies of African American celebrities, sports figures, or actors and actresses.  We are most interested in histories of and about African Americans.  They do not have to be written by African Americans and do not have to have an Iowa connection. 

We are interested in slave narratives and histories of slavery, the slave trade, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights movement.  We are only interested in books about the Civil War that have a strong African American connection such as Cornish's "The Sable Arm."

July 2, 2008 -  Flood Damage to Libraries

Elkader

Jill Sanders reported they had 4 feet of water in the basement.  They lost the furnace/air conditioner (being replaced today) and the water heater.  One wall will have to be replaced.  She noted that were "in a hold" pattern while the city works with FEMA.

University of Iowa

Nancy Baker reported the following:  The Main Library took in about 2-3 inches of water in the basement.  The loading dock filled up like a swimming pool and then it flowed into the basement to just about every area.  No collections were wet, largely because we moved so many items from lower shelves and because the flooding was not as bad as feared in this building.   Normally, the basement is practically floor to ceiling with collections.  With the help of our staff and a lot of volunteers, we moved a lot of materials out of there.  The recovery team is still cleaning up the basement to insure health and safety.  Once the air samples indicate that it is safe, we will be able to reoccupy.  It will be a little while ( I hope not too long) before we can be open to the public.  Right now the Main Library departments are temporarily scattered around campus. 
 
The Art and Music Libraries are each in buildings that were badly flooded.   Because both are located on upper floors, the collections were not wet.  But I am worried about mold since the power was initially off in those buildings.  Now there is considerable ventilation pumping into those areas which will help, but we really won't know for certain until we can get in long enough to investigate.  Both the Art and Music Librarians were able to go in briefly and were encouraged for the libraries even if the lower floors are a disaster.  We did not have enough time to move these collection before the staff needed to evacuate.

June 23, 2008 - Flood Damage to Iowa Libraries

The Columbus Junction Public Library reopened today.

 
June 19, 2008 – Flood damage to Iowa Libraries

The Main Library at the University of Iowa

Had water in its basement, but neither the building nor any of the collections were damaged.  The building is still closed, however, due to problems with electricity and air conditioning across the campus.  Both the Music Library and the Art Library are in buildings which were inundated by the flood waters.  The extent of the damage to the libraries is not yet known.

Cedar Rapids Public Library

The damage to the CRPL is being assessed. A professional “recovery team” has already conducted a walk-through. It’s estimated that the water rose approximately five feet up the first floor. The book shelves are intact and not all were completely under water. However, we are not optimistic about saving anything on the first floor. The humidity, muck, and air quality are taking their toll.

The Zerzanek collection of original children’s book illustrations is safe and has been moved to another location.   Friends were able to move donated used books to the upper floors of their storage facility.  They are assessing the condition of the books and discussing 2008 book and media sales.

If you want to volunteer, please mail us your contact information (address, e-mail & phone) to address below. Other than members of professional recovery teams, no one is being allowed in the building at present. It’s not a healthy environment. We hope to mobilize volunteers eventually.

As for the long term plans for the downtown library:

We are moving forward. We are continuing to work on our building plans, which include revitalizing and reconfiguring the downtown facility. We will work hand-in-hand with the City as its plan evolves.

The search for a new library director is on hold. Tamara Glise is serving as Interim Director and Marie DeVries, Foundation staff, is handling external affairs.

From the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Web site:

On Tuesday afternoon National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library staff were allowed inside their flood ravaged museum buildings after record flooding on the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At its crest on Friday, June 13, 15 ft. of water surrounded the buildings.

David Muhlena, library director, reports that about 20% of the library materials were removed before the flood.  He estimates that little of the remaining collection will be salvageable.  The water inside the building reached almost to the top of the library bookshelves, and was estimated to be 7 feet high.

The destruction in the main building was massive, said Gail Naughton, President/CEO, “but we were relieved to find our Czech crystal chandelier intact, all 401 lbs and 600 Bohemian crystals.”  Staff found an inch or more of gooey mud on the floors, broken windows, busted out doors, heavy furniture flipped upside down and walls blown out. “The power of the water and current it took to do this kind of damage is unimaginable,” added Naughton.

The main building was deemed structurally safe to enter but an architectural and engineering analysis will follow at a later time to fully assess the condition of the building.  

Staff and a few volunteers were able to do a preliminary assessment of the condition of collections that were left behind. Many books and artifacts were removed before the flooding, but many were put up high and may have survived intact.

At the time of this writing (Wednesday, June 18, 2008) access to the museum site has been denied by the city who are not allowing anyone into the Czech Village area due to unsafe conditions.

.  Contributions to the National Czech & Slovak Museum  & Library Flood Relief Fund may be made at the NCSML website, at any Wells Fargo Bank location in the U.S. or by mailing a check to: National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 Sixteenth Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404.

June 17, 2008

Mercy Medical Center, Watts Medical Library, Cedar Rapids - Thank your for all the messages & offers of assistance.  I'm in the library today & am happy (relieved) to report that we are dry & semi-operational.  The library is storing a mish mash of equipment from other areas & busy with staff from other departments setting-up shop at the computers.  Our president & administrative staff are very organized & we have a lot of dedicated hardworking staff that are busy trying to get the hospital fully operational by June 29th.  Our Radiation Center re-opened yesterday & we are said to see more departments in operation within a week.Randi Thon,Library Director, Watts Medical Library, Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids

New Hartford

Water in the library destroyed 4,600 books, leaving only 1,000.  They also lost 5 computers, 4 of them new last year.  They were able to save a children’s computer.  Valerie Ballhagen is the only employee of the library; only one board member can help since the others lost their homes in the earlier tornado.  There are many children in New Hartford who lost their homes.  They were looking forward to the summer reading program which was to start next week. Valerie is trying to locate a cleaning company.  Valerie will get back to us in the next day or two, after talked to city officials, to see what and when people can come in to help. Valerie Ballhagen, New Harford Public Library
 

Wapello

Fortunately our library is dry, but we are feeling other effects from flooding.   I am short staffed because some of my co-workers are on the other side of the river and cannot get to Wapello.  Also the library has become the “hub” for flood refugees trying to find information, see pictures of their flooded homes, checking e-mail, making copies etc.     We have had calls asking for information such as road closings and such.  Some people working at Lake Odessa and Louisa County Conservation can not get to their offices and have had to use our computers, copiers, etc.

The city of Oakville is one of our contract cities.  It has been evacuated and completely flooded.  The area east of town, between Wapello & Oakville is like a big lake. Many have found shelter here in Wapello.  The mayor stated yesterday that he felt if these people could get access to pictures of their homes, it might keep them from trying to go into the flood waters to see their homes.

Cedar Falls and Waterloo

2-3 inches of water throughout the library basement. Staff worked Friday taking damaged stuff out to the garage. Service Master extracted water from the basement carpet, currently running fans and dehumidifiers in the baement. Carpet has mostly been pulled. The rest can be pulled when we can move the shelves. Service Master sanitized everything flat in the basement, and 12" up the wall.  
Public elevator still turned off--there is still water in the pit. Continue to route public through staff elevator You can now go to the basement without boots or gloves. Waive all fines until at least June 30. If people report items lost in the flood, make them "lost" and waive the charge.

Czech and Slovak Museum and Library

Dear Friends / Vážení přátelé / Vážený priatelia -

Thank you all for your concern.  All of the museum staff and their families are safe.  Museum staff and volunteers were able to move two semi trailers loaded with museum artifacts and library materials to a safe location.  However, we were not able to move all of the collection items or our working files out due to quickly rising waters.  The waters have now receded from the building but we won't know the extent of the damage until we are given permission to enter the building.  We met this morning with disaster recovery specialists and are ready to implement a plan of action.   We are coordinating recovery efforts with the African American Museum of Iowa, our neighboring museum across the river from us that was also severely impacted.  For official updates about the museum go to www.ncsml.org. Sincerely,David Muhlena, Library Director,National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, dmuhlena@ncsml.org

The Chelsea Library has been closed for a week due to flooding. We are in a flood plain and are prone to flooding this is our fifth flood this year. The libraries basement is full but it did not make in the building. The electricity has been shut off and the only way in and out of town is by boat. My family has been staying with friends since last Monday and we are hoping to get home today. I will be opening the library up as soon as the power is turned back on. Thank You, Dianna Dunning, Chelsea Public Library