Library to remain closed for cleanup
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The cleanup of the water damage at Forbush Memorial Library in Westminster will be keeping the library closed for an indefinite period of time.

The water damage repair on all three floors of the Main Street building is being done by contractors with the insurance company, said Library Director Margaret Howe-Soper. The damage came after a pipe in the heating system froze and burst overnight between Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 21 and 22, when temperatures in Westminster dropped well below freezing.

"We're making progress," Howe-Soper said. "We're hoping to get the children's department up first."

The repairs throughout the library include a number of items, such as cleaning the carpets, repairing ceiling tiles, checking the electrical system, replacing broken heating coils and the broken pipe, and painting. The insurance company will only cover cleaning and painting where the water damage from the incident occurred.

Howe-Soper said as of the beginning of this week the insurance company's contractors were in to begin repairs on the Children's Room, which is the basement level of the building.

The pipe burst just above the archive rooms in the library. The artifacts were all removed from the building by Monday, Jan. 28, Howe-Soper said. She said the paintings, all of which were not damaged, were packaged and moved to the Fitchburg Art Museum. The back of one painting got wet, but it does not look like the picture was damaged. Howe-Soper said a conservator should inspect it, however.

The textiles and the wooden items were transported to conservators specializing in archives.

Howe-Soper said there were some books that were damaged, including the early minutes of the library trustees and other reference materials. Those materials have been frozen and are one their way to Chicago to be freeze-dried as recovery protocol states.

"If you ever have a book get wet at home and you want to preserve it, stick it in your freeze," she said.

The freeze-burn from the water is easy to remove, she said.

"We're keeping lists of what we have sent out and what is too damaged," she said.

The library opened briefly on Wednesday in a limited capacity to users that had reserved books. Patrons were allowed to come in to pick up books that had been previously reserved.

"People will now be able to place holds on Westminster materials," Howe-Soper said. "But they can request a book to be delivered to another library (through www. cwmars.org)."

Westminster library cards are recognized at many of the area's libraries including Leominster, Fitchburg and Gardner.

"All fines will be forgiven while we are closed," she said. "Books can be returned to book drop or to a CWMars library."

Howe-Soper said she is sending daily reports to the trustees and the staff to keep them updated.

Those registered for story hours will be called when story times resume. The Great Discussions group has been moved to the Public Safety Building at 9 South St.

The Library Trustees are in the process of bidding a renovation project to repair the exterior and roof of the building and to fix the mold issues that have plagued the building for years. The projects are completely separate issues and the insurance money will not cover any of the renovations costs.