Washington Quake Causes Library Disruption, Damage

In Seattle, the University of Washington's Engineering Library suffered "some badly twisted shelving," Zussy said. The library web site stated that because "the stacks on the second, third, and fourth floors are too unstable for patrons or staff to enter and retrieve materials from, access to materials is very limited." Some other libraries within the campus system limited services or stack access.

Zussy said half the collection -- 250,000 books -- at the library of Olympia's Evergreen State College "was on the floor." According to the college web site, the library stacks were closed and the library's fourth floor "will be closed at least for several days for an extensive cleanup." Saint Martin's College in Lacey is about to dedicate its new library building; Zussy said that about a quarter of the collection had fallen from the stacks, but the library suffered no structural damage.

The Seattle Public Library was closed for two days after the earthquake, with staff working Friday to re-shelve books and conduct minor repairs on dislocated ceiling tiles and light fixtures. The building suffered some cracks but was declared safe, according to library spokeswoman Andra Addison. At the Timberland Regional library, the Chehalis and Olympia Timberland libraries were "closed until further notice" as they undergo earthquake damage evaluation. Zussy said the Olympia library may have suffered structural damage. She was still waiting for reports from some other potentially affected libraries.