Library staying closed

Jay County Public Library will be closed through at least Monday.
Eric Hinderliter, JCPL’s director, said he hopes to be able to re-open the library Tuesday after a leak in a water heater this weekend left about 60 percent of the facility under water. The library has been closed all week.
The cost estimate for damage from the leak, which started sometime after the library closed Saturday and was not found until Monday morning, is currently at $35,000. Hinderliter expects that number to keep growing because some areas of drywall will need to be replaced and computer damage has not yet been assessed.
But most of the cost is covered by insurance.
“All we have is a $500 deductible,” said Hinderliter. “Everything beyond that is on them.”
Hinderliter discovered the water problem when he arrived at work Monday morning, saying the leak was “like a waterfall.” The water heater at the facility sits above the break room in the office area.
Carpet in the library is drying out and is expected to be OK.
“That’s the good news,” he said, noting that Steamatic of Fort Wayne has been working on the project. “That dried out pretty good for us.
“Where it had been buckling before, it laid back down where it needed to be.”
In addition to drying the carpet, significant portions of drywall on the east side of the building will need to be replaced.
But the library is expected to be able to operate while such work is being done and should have minimal impact on library patrons.
The clean-up and repair process, Hinderliter said, is expected to take about a month.
“We’re going to have pretty extensive work with some drywall that got wet,” he said. “The atmosphere over here is going to be a little different for about a month or so.”
Computers, some of which were plugged into floor outlets, have not yet been assessed. Hinderliter said he has been advised to give them more time to dry out before plugging them in and testing them.
The library’s collection of books did not sustain any damage.[[In-content Ad]]