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Grace A. Dow Memorial Library Director Miriam Andrus poses for a portrait inside the children's section of the library Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. The library is still undergoing renovations after sustaining severe damage during the mid-Michigan dam failures and flood in May. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)
lessPhoto: (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)Grace A. Dow Memorial Library Director Miriam Andrus poses for a portrait inside the children's section of the library Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. The library is still undergoing renovations after sustaining
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Grace A. Dow Memorial Library Director Miriam Andrus poses for a portrait inside the children's section of the library Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. The library is still undergoing renovations after sustaining severe damage during the mid-Michigan dam failures and flood in May. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)
lessGrace A. Dow Memorial Library Director Miriam Andrus poses for a portrait inside the children's section of the library Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. The library is still undergoing renovations after sustaining
... moreWith a federal damage assessment finally in hand and a new boiler installed, the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library is closer to reopening following historic flooding.
Last May, the failure of the Edenville and Sanford dams on the Tittabawassee River caused regional flooding that impacted the lower level of Midland’s library, causing more extensive damage than the flood of 2017.
Then, just before Christmas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) finally gave its $2 million damage assessment on the library. Assistant City Manager Dave Keenan explained the city’s insurance policy will cover about $1 million and of the remaining balance, FEMA will pay for about 75% of costs they deem eligible for reimbursement. Keenan expects the funding gap to be between $250,000 to $500,000.
Some mechanical work is already underway, and the first of three new boilers was just installed, restoring heat to the building. Library Director Miriam Andrus said prior to the install, library staff were wearing coats and gloves to work and making use of space heaters.
“We’re really, really happy to have heat,” Andrus said.
However, there is still a phase of mechanical work to be completed before the library can reopen to patrons including replacing/upgrading a hot water heater, an air handler, components of the fire alarm system and the library’s steam boiler. This second phase of work is expected to be done before summer and Andrus said staff are currently planning how to partially reopen at that time to offer services such as computer usage and printing.
“It’s been really unfortunate,” Andrus said about the situation. “We have such great community support and people love the library and we want to offer services – we really miss our patrons.”
Currently, all the books and materials that were housed on the 35,000-square-foot lower level are laid out in other parts of the library, such as the quiet room and mezzanine level, so that they can still be checked out by patrons. So, Andrus said it will take a lot of reconfiguring before the library can reopen to the public.
“The mechanical has been the main reason we haven’t had people in the building in any kind of capacity but once the mechanical is fixed, then we are going to open a little bit – in whatever capacity COVID will allow us to,” Andrus said.
The library is also in need of a few construction repairs including drywall installation, new carpeting, paint, window work and more. The design work for that is currently underway and will be bid out soon so that construction could be done by late spring, at the earliest.
Making it work
Equipment and work space for Midland Community Television Network (MCTV ) was also housed in the lower level of the library and has since been moved upstairs. Currently, just one MCTV employee works at the office while the other three work from home.
Because the library is so large, staff are able to still come to work to do projects in their own section of the library, social distancing from other staff. Andrus explained the employees are all furloughed to some degree, working a few less hours than they normally would, and are in shifts working alternating days.
They’ve had just a handful of COVID-19 cases among employees, but it never disrupted service because of the precautions and social distancing.
In addition, staff have used the closure to their advantage, tackling projects they otherwise never would have, such as interfiling adult fiction novels, updating the projector room and rearranging the colored carpet tiles.
Continued, consistent service
Despite the extended closure due to flooding — and in addition to the various shutdowns imposed due to the pandemic – library staff have been able to still get materials to patrons.
“In one sense it’s terrible – I mean the fact that this (flood) has happened now twice in three years... but in the same breath, I’m really glad that we’ve been able to continue to offer consistent services, at least with curbside, during the time that we’re having this unprecedented pandemic and health is such a concern,” Andrus said. “I’m glad we haven’t closed our doors completely.”
Not only is the library still offering new library card sign-ups online, but patrons can also a utilize curbside pickup service or digital resources.
For the curbside service, patrons can reserve books online and choose a timeslot in which to stop by the library and pick them up outside, Monday through Thursday. Patrons only need one pickup time, even if they’ve requested multiple materials. However, expect at least a full day between placing a hold and picking up materials.
Then once returned, the materials are sanitized and quarantined for at least 96 hours before being placed back on shelves.
Andrus said the curbside pickup has been so popular, they might continue the service long into the future, after they reopen. She said just about all time slots are filled each day.
“It’s such an easy service,” Andrus said. “I mean if you’ve got a bunch of kids in your car and you don’t want to haul them into the building to look for stuff, you can call the library ... and then you can just come pick (your books) up, you show up, books are sitting on a table, you grab them and you go. You don’t have to unbuckle a kid.”
To learn more about the curbside service, visit www.gadml.org/copy-of-do-curbside-pickup or call 989-837-3457.
Another new service they started is Browsing To-Go where patrons can ask for recommendations on books and staff will pull curated options.
Those interested in donating to the library can send them to Friends of the Library. Make checks and money orders payable to “Friends of the Grace A Dow Memorial Library” and note “flood relief” in the memo line. Donations can be mailed to Friends of the Library, P.O. Box 2458, Midland, MI 48641.
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'We’re really, really happy to have heat': Midland library closer to opening after historic flooding - Midland Daily News
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