The lower level of the McDowell County Public Library in Marion will be closed this month due to recent water damage.

We first thought it was sewage but it was chlorinated water, said Steve Taylor, systems administrator for the library.

The water got into the Abe Simmons Genealogy Room & North Carolina History room, lower level staff offices and the IT section of the library. It did not get into the Childrens Area of the library or the downstairs meeting room, but those areas will remain closed during cleanup. The main level of the library was not affected at all.

The water was first seen entering into the lower level Monday morning.

Taylor added the water rose to about a couple of inches before it stopped. It only managed to get into the genealogy/N.C. history room, some staff offices and the IT room. Taylor said the water damage did not affect the librarys computer system. Patti Holda with the genealogy/N.C. history room said very little of the materials and books inside her section got any damage because most of them were off the floor.

The water entered into the library because the swimming pool at the nearby McDowell Rec Center was being drained. The amount of water from the Rec Centers pool being emptied overwhelmed the city of Marions sewer system and this caused the backup into the lower level of the library, according to Maintenance Director Terry DePoyster.

The librarys downstairs section is below street level and it was the closest to the Rec Center.

Both DePoyster and Taylor said chlorinated water got into the library rather than sewage.

The furniture and equipment from the genealogy room, the offices and the IT section have been moved into the Childrens Area and the meeting room, which suffered no damage. The carpet has been removed and the floors of the areas that were damaged have been scraped. New flooring will need to be put down there.

DePoyster said he does not yet know the cost of repairs.

Were still in the assessing mode, he added.

Because of this, the entire lower level of the Marion branch is closed until further notice including the parts that suffered no damage. It will be closed for the month of September.

The main level of the Marion branch will continue to operate as normal and the public can still make use of it. Taylor said the staff members on the main level were not aware anything was happening when the water came into the buildings downstairs.

Library patrons are encouraged to use the Old Fort branch for researching genealogy or local history or enjoying childrens activities, said DePoyster.

They can also continue to use the N.C. Cardinal, which is a consortium of North Carolina public libraries that share an online catalog and an integrated library system (ILS), and share resources with other member libraries. McDowell County Public Library is a member of this consortium.

Holda and other staff members said they are sorry the Childrens Area had to be closed since so many parents and their children look forward to coming there. For example, the Paws for Reading program has been popular for young people and is particularly effective for those youngsters with autism, said Holda.

Local civic groups and organizations which use the meeting room have been notified it is now closed until further notice.

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Library's lower level closed until further notice - McDowell News