Disaster Recovery at the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library

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POPULATION

73,824

Main Library

Bookmobile

Arlington Branch

905,671 items checked out

BOOKS TOTALS FOR 2007

ADULT FICTION ADULT NONFICTION BEGINNING FICTION CHILDRENS FICTION CHILDRENS

NONFICTION YOUNG ADULT

148,569 73,466 65,116 24,805 27,141

15,598

AUDIO VISUALS TOTALS FOR 2007

AUDIO BOOKS COMPACT DISCS DVD VIDEO

22,616 45,710 215,211 61,767

Established on April 16, 1888The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library was established on April 16, 1888 by an act of the Ohio General Assembly and opened its doors to the public on January 27, 1890 in a basement room of the

Hancock County Courthouse.

1935Finally, in 1935 the Findlay Public Library moved from the Courthouse basement into the old Post Office

building on Broadway. Built in 1906, the building was purchased from the federal government for $50,000. Also in 1935, Ohio libraries began receiving state funding from the intangibles tax.

June 14, 1981Flood: Lost 13,000 Children’s Books and $50,000 in equipment and furnishings in the Children's Room after a flood hit Findlay.

January 3, 1991Lost all carpeting in the lower level. 3 inches of sewer water flowed through the lower level. Loss of carpeting in the administrative offices, board room and break room. No books were lost.

Flood Categories (in feet)Major Flood Stage: 13 Moderate Flood Stage: 12 Flood Stage: 11 Action Stage: 8 Historical Crests(1) 18.50 ft on 03/13/1913(2) 18.46 ft on 08/22/2007(3) 17.43 ft on 06/14/1981(4) 16.76 ft on 02/11/1959(5) 16.50 ft on 02/07/2008(6) 16.10 ft on 01/22/1959(7) 15.42 ft on 06/02/1997(8) 15.40 ft on 12/01/1927(9) 14.85 ft on 12/31/1990(10) 14.78 ft on 01/06/2007

Low Water Records(1) 0.6 ft on 09/12/1976(2) 0.7 ft on 09/18/1968(2) 0.7 ft on 10/17/1965(4) 0.8 ft on 09/21/1980

JUNE 12, 1997 .

Lost all carpeting in the basement due to sewer water flowing through the lower level. Replaced carpeting in administration. Tile was placed in hallway and break room.

Main Street in Findlay

Library Basement—Friends of the Library Used Book Store

Supply Room

. AUGUST 22, 2007

. 100 year flood hits Hancock County. Lost entire basement: Administration, Technical Services, Book Cellar, Adult Services Offices, and Maintenance. All services were lost: phones, internet, boiler, electric, HVAC etc.

. FINDLAY BECOMES A FEDERAL DISASTER AREA

.President Bush declared the City of Findlay a disaster area on September 11, 2007.

CONSTRUCTION

COMMUNICATION

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Phone list of key employeesHome emails

Backup tapes of NT networkAND

Keep the library patron’s informed!

As you can see, we get about 500 hits a day. Notice it dropped to ZERO after the flood, as our Web Server was offline.

Work with FEMA and Insurance to move things along as quickly as possible. If you do not know what you are doing, hire a temporary person to help. Ask FEMA or

Insurance people for contact names.

Work even harder to keep the patron’s happy, they have had flood issues too!

On the road 7 days a week during FLOOD RECOVERY

River crested at 18.4 feet Hancock County was deluged with 9 inches of

rain in one night 82.4 billion gallons of water fell in 24 hours Damages estimated at 60 million

100 year flood hits FINDLAY, OHIO

Items from the Lower Level brought up by the Staff who could get to the Library as the Blanchard River crested.

That sign stayed up for 3 months

August 22, 2007

Note hometown hero Ben Roethlisberger on the Billboard. Bridge over the Blanchard River on Main Street in Findlay. Bridge built this low becomes a dam

during a flood and makes the situation worse.

Still closed to the Public to this day during Construction

Water in drawer—Lower Level

Lower Level

Library Lower Level

August 23, 2007

Friends of the Library Used Books Storage Area

Tri-Weh Construction

August 2007

Book Drop Closed. No Fines Today

Note temporary office for Tri-Weh in the Lobby

Super heating the upper level to save the Books

Lower Level. Note the Mural on wall

Electronic……

Very few items could be saved

All drywall and carpeting had to be removed

Main Library re-opens on December 3rd, 2007.

Rebuilt basement and new Administration & Technical Services area to open mid-October

2008