Hurricane Ike’s Effects Linger in Libraries Across Texas

Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 9/25/2008

• Galveston took the worst hit
• Humidity remains a threat
• Libraries have served as shelters and places to recharge or apply for aid

Numerous libraries remain closed or recovering in Southeast Texas in the wake of Hurricane Ike September 13, with some suffering water damage and others seeing their reopening delayed by power outages. Some libraries have served as evacuation centers while others have served simply as places to recharge electrical devices and to get out of the heat. Many, as in past disasters, have become the place where citizens can go to access the Internet to apply for disaster relief. The Texas Library Association has been keeping tabs on the recovery effort, providing updates from which this summary is drawn, and is also soliciting donations for a disaster relief fund. Galveston took the worst hit—see LJ’s interview with the executive director of the Rosenberg Library and reference below to the Texas A&M University in Galveston.

Academic libraries
While the Jack K. Williams Library at Texas A&M University in Galveston suffered little structural damage, the campus is closed indefinitely and the lack of power and air conditioning means mold remains a threat. A contract with a restoration company is in place, but there were delays in getting access to the city, so it’s unclear how much the 80,000 volume collection is in jeopardy. Classes for the semester have been moved to College Station, but the campus in Galveston is expected to reopen in January.

The library at Lamar State College–Orange took two to three inches on the first floor. A restoration company ripped out all of the library carpet and removed four feet of sheetrock throughout the building, bringing in de-humidifiers and generators to ensure that humidity didn’t threaten the collection. Classes will resume October 6, with faculty and staff reporting back on September 29.

At Houston Community College’s Northeast Campus, the collection of the Codwell Library “sustained some damage due to humidity from flooding.”

At the University of Houston, the main library suffered only a loss of carpeting from water damage, but the Architecture building lost half its roof—the part over the Architecture and Art Library. Damaged materials have been sent for freeze-drying or further evaluation. “Recovering from Ike is going to be a long, slow process,” commented the library’s Dana Rooks.

At Rice University in Houston, the Fondren Library suffered minor flooding; it has provided “a comfortable, well-lighted place for to enjoy air-conditioning, coffee, recharging batteries (of all sorts) and free Internet/wi-fi service” for people from both the campus and surrounding community, according to the library’s Kerry Keck.

Public libraries
Several Houston Public Library branches remain closed, but many locations aree providing disaster aid. The library is helping staff Wireless Empowered Community Access Network Community Access Locations to file claims online. Also, four library locations are serving as sites for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Blue Roof Program, which offers free temporary roofs to residential structures.

One branch of the Harris County Public Library, Houston, will remain closed indefinitely owing to roof leaks and water, while another will be closed until early October. Two branches are open limited hours because of a lack of power or air conditioning.

At the Montgomery County Memorial Library System, Conroe, six of seven locations have reopened, while one still doesn’t have power restored. The library announced that computer use at the central library is limited to services relating to hurricane recovery. Game playing on the public computers has been be suspended until further notice.

The Bridge City Public Library was inundated by three to four feet of water and was described on September 17 as “a total mess."

The Deer Park Public Library suffered little damage. It had used state and city funds to buy nine additional laptops and install Wi-Fi. The library, according to director Rebecca Pool, was prepared to assist patrons. “In fact, we have people sitting outside under the trees using our Wi-Fi.”

The Nacogdoches Public Library served as a primary evacuee shelter for the city, serving 250 evacuees, with the meeting room as their cafeteria. Some city staff were sleeping in the library. For that period shortly after the hurricane, the library was not open to the public.