News 2012: Update on the Claire T. Carney Library

News 2012: Update on the Claire T. Carney Library
Update on the Claire T. Carney Library

Update on August 17

This is an update on the damage assessment, cleanup, repair and reopening efforts after Wednesday's storm that affected the Claire T. Carney Library.

Staff from the University, the state Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM), which oversees the renovation work, and Consigli, the contractor carrying out the renovation work on the roof, have continued to assess the situation. Outside experts have also been brought in by the University, DCAM and Consigli to independently verify the progress of the work and assist in damage assessment.

We can announce that Mabbett and Associates, the independent firm hired by the University to test 23 different metrics of possible health and safety hazards in the Library due to water leakage, has released the positive results of these tests.

Our greatest concern was about possible mold. Using the outside fresh air as a baseline (with mold spores measured at 4,910 per cubic meter), we identified no area in the Library with a mold spore ratio of more than that in the basement, at 1,490 per cubic meter. Even in the fourth and fifth floors, which were directly affected by water leaks, mold spore levels are much lower than the outside air.

The full report by Mabbett and Associates will be made available for review at the University's Department of Public Safety beginning on Monday, where Bob Casparius and Amy Kampersol in the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, will be on hand to answer questions.

As a result of these tests, and this weekend's ongoing assessment and repair work on the fifth floor, we will be partially reopening the Library only to senior staff on Monday, August 20. Their role will be to assess the state of physical assets in the offices and ensure we are ready to fully reopen floors 1-4 to staff on Tuesday, August 21. The senior staff assigned to the assessment task will be contacted by their supervisor or a university administrator and asked to report to work on Monday. All other employees assigned to the Library will not report to work on Monday.

Please note that we expect floors 1-4 to reopen to staff only on Tuesday, August 21, and will confirm whether or not we are ready to do so on Monday, August 20. Floor 5 will remain closed to all but essential repair personnel until repairs are completed.

-Deb McLaughlin
COO and Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance