Disaster Recovery at the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library
.
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