University History - 1997 Flood

Library Opens for Fall Semester

Published July 2007

New dean of libraries Camila Alire had only been on the job eight days. A native of Colorado’s San Luis Valley, she had previously headed the Auraria Library at the University of Colorado-Denver and embraced the prospect of serving CSU in its newly remodeled facility. "Looking at the damage," she said, "I felt nothing but disbelief at first."

Photo of equipment pumping water west of Morgan Library

Equipment works to drain water from Morgan Library.

By the morning of July 28, a "sauna effect had already taken place." Water continued to stream through the building, and with no ventilation or air conditioning, a compelling concern became saving "the rest of the materials on the other three floors from mold and mildew." For similar reasons swift action regarding the 425,000 soaked publications strewn about the basement was imperative.

Swift action necessary

Advised by preservation librarian Diane Lundy, Alire proceeded to implement the library’s disaster plan. Within a few days, as pumps removed water from the structure, books were boxed by crews from a disaster recovery company and frozen in refrigerated trucks to arrest mold and mildew formation. Eventually they would be shipped to warehouses in Fort Worth, Texas, for a freeze drying treatment that eliminated the moisture.

Under the best of circumstances the conservation process would take several years before useable books, an estimated 80 percent, could be returned in phased deliveries, inspected and re-cataloged at Morgan Library.

Thousands of publications willingly donated

Basement of Morgan Library with books and paper scattered

The mess left after the water was removed from Morgan Library.

Accordingly, a second approach to speeding recovery was simultaneously launched. This entailed compiling lists of missing publications and soliciting replacement donations. Librarian Joel Rutstein directed this logistically daunting project and marveled at the phenomenal generosity of the university community and its supporters as thousands of publications were willingly donated.

Less than a month after the flood and in time for the start of the fall semester, Morgan Library was open. The basement remained inaccessible, huge plastic ventilation ducts snaked across floors and through walls to mitigate humidity, and the roar of large industrial fans jarred the library’s normal stillness.

Reopening of library a recovery milestone

Reference service, reserved readings for classes and an on-line catalog, were temporarily placed at the Weber Building. Additionally, staffing for interlibrary loans was increased, University requests received priority status, and a free shuttle bus service was begun to neighboring academic libraries, where a CSU identification card conferred automatic borrowing privileges.

"The opening of the library marks an important milestone in our ongoing recovery efforts," said Camila Alire, "and has more than symbolic meaning to the campus community."

More about the flood

Historical accounts in this series of articles, were compiled and edited from Democracy's University - A History of Colorado State University 1970-2003, written by James E. Hansen II (University Press of Colorado, 2007).

To order a book, call (970) 491-6198, e-mail Resource.Center@ucm.colostate.edu or visit 115 General Services Building on Colorado State’s main campus. Cost is $27, not including tax or shipping. The books are also available at the CSU Bookstore in the Lory Student Center.