Although the library has undergone many changes in its history, one feature has remained constant: its dedication to providing services for the community.\u00a0 This dedication was tested during the Flood of 2006. \u00a0The flooding that occurred in the Southern Tier area in late June of that year was often referred to as a \u201c100 year flood\u201d.\u00a0 Deposit was one of many local communities devastated by floodwaters.\u00a0 The Delaware River and its feeder streams overflowed their banks and wrecked havoc on many homes and businesses.\u00a0 The Deposit Free Library was one of the casualties.<\/p>\n
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The library building was surrounded by water.\u00a0 Floodwaters filled the entire basement to the ceiling and covered the main floor to a depth of 5-6 inches.\u00a0 Damage to both the building and the book collection was extensive.\u00a0 Every book from the bottom shelves in the children\u2019s and non-fiction rooms was water-damaged.\u00a0 The flooding couldn\u2019t have come at a worse time for the library.\u00a0 \u00a0A major renovation project was underway.\u00a0 The building\u2019s carpeting was less than a year old.\u00a0 The computer workstation had been in place for less than a month.\u00a0 The hot water heater was brand-new.<\/p>\n
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For the first time in its history the Deposit Free Library was closed due to a natural disaster.\u00a0 Trustees set a goal of August 1st for reopening.\u00a0 In order to save the book collection, drying out the building was of paramount importance. \u00a0The basement was pumped out, all the windows in the building were opened, and an industrial dehumidifier was run continuously for two weeks.\u00a0 The basement ceiling was removed.\u00a0 Baseboards were removed in all affected rooms so the plaster walls could be mildew treated and repaired.\u00a0 Thanks to quick work and thorough drying efforts, the new carpet was saved and professionally cleaned.<\/p>\n
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Many hours of volunteer labor were devoted to the clean-up effort.\u00a0 Library trustees were joined by dozens of community volunteers.\u00a0 They pitched in to remove damaged books.\u00a0 Experts advised that returning mildew-damaged books to the shelves would contaminate the collection, so the difficult decision was made to throw away over 1,100 titles.<\/p>\n
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Recovery was a two-fold problem. \u00a0Although there was no shortage of people willing to share their time and talents, money to pay for the necessary repairs was another story.\u00a0 The entire heating system and hot water heater had been destroyed.\u00a0 The cost of book replacement alone was staggering.\u00a0 Total recovery costs reached $50,000.\u00a0 Trustees navigated the maze of federal regulations for disaster relief.\u00a0 Because the library was a non-profit organization, aid eligibility was often questioned.\u00a0 Library personnel were shuttled from one agency to another. \u00a0At one point there were eight different grants in varying stages of completion.\u00a0 It took a full five months to receive federal and state disaster relief funds.<\/p>\n
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Although government agencies moved slowly, friends of the library responded quickly.\u00a0\u00a0 Donations poured in daily. \u00a0Local residents and organizations were incredibly generous, and former Depositonians from all over the country sent contributions.\u00a0 Over $6,000 was donated during the first six weeks following the flood.\u00a0 One of Deposit\u2019s largest industries, the Norbord Corporation, contributed an additional $5,000 to the recovery effort.\u00a0 Three fundraisers were held during the summer months.\u00a0 Volunteers held two book sales on the library lawn, and fifth grader Kayleigh Lobdell held a benefit bake sale.<\/p>\n
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Individuals and organizations also contributed books to restock the shelves.\u00a0 DCS teachers contributed children\u2019s books from their personal collections.\u00a0 The publishing houses of Penguin-Putnam and Houghton Mifflin sent hundreds of children\u2019s books.\u00a0 A Girl Scout troop from west Nyack, New Jersey adopted the library, organized a book drive, and personally delivered a pickup truck full of books.<\/p>\n
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A massive day of cleaning took place to prepare for the reopening.\u00a0 Volunteers polished woodwork, spackled plaster, vacuumed carpets, and washed windows.\u00a0 Books that had been moved and boxed during the flood were sorted, alphabetized, and reshelved.\u00a0 Technicians got the computers up and running again.\u00a0 On July 27th, one month from the day the doors were closed, the library was reopened.<\/p>\n
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The reaction to the Flood of 2006 once again proved the value people placed on their community library.\u00a0 The support received in the aftermath of this disaster was overwhelming.\u00a0 The library survived one of the most difficult times in its history, thanks to the dedication of its friends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Although the library has undergone many changes in its history, one feature has remained constant: its dedication to providing services for the community.\u00a0 This dedication was tested during the Flood of 2006. \u00a0The flooding that occurred in the Southern Tier area in late June of that year was often referred to as a \u201c100 year … <\/p>\n