The repair process is underway at Halle Library after it was discovered that a clamp supporting a water return pipe had broken loose causing the pipe to come crashing down through the ground floor ceiling, triggering the sprinkler system in the process. The pipe, a 200-foot gravity-fed drainpipe, runs from the roof to the ground floor.
The entire library was closed for the rest of Monday and all day Tuesday while the situation was assessed. Floors one through three were opened Wednesday, but the basement will remain closed for approximately one month.
The dislodging of the pipe caused physical damage to the ceiling, the walls, the sprinkler system and the electrical and network systems in and around the corridor where the pipe burst. The pipe also caused some water damage to the areas around the corridor.
The main cause of the water damage, however, was from the damaged sprinkler system. Fortunately, no computer equipment, Eagle Radio equipment or library collections were damaged in the incident, and the library staff was able to move the collections it had been working on from the ground floor to prevent any damage from the ongoing repairs.
According to Tara Fulton, Dean of the University Library, the library staff has also been working hard with faculty and staff to relocate services and classes that use the ground floor, as it has been estimated repairs to the pipe and the corridor will take at least a month to complete.
Four out the six computer classrooms will be unavailable until the ground floor re-opens. The Eagle Café in Halle Library will also remain closed and Eagle Radio will be on hold until a temporary location can be found for the student radio station to continue broadcasting.
For a complete list of the temporary locations of ground floor services, go to the news and events section of the Halle Library website or the information desk inside the Halle Library.
Ms. Fulton also released a video statement on the Halle website describing the damage from the water pipe break and what library users can expect during the ongoing repairs during the next month, as well as, addressing environmental concerns related to the repairs.
“The repair to such a major pipe, which involves welding, may be noisy and
occasionally accompanied by the smells of hot metal, but Physical Plant hopes to minimize the impact on library users and staff on the other floors,” Fulton said via video. “Please be aware that for a few weeks the library air conditioning will not be fully operational, so it may be warm and humid in the building. The library’s Disaster Team and the University’s Environmental Health & Safety Office will be diligently monitoring the situation, since mold is the next possible cause for concern for both people and books.”
Meanwhile, Provost Kim Schatzel is keeping faculty and staff updated with weekly emails on the progress of the repairs and cleanup of the ground floor. In her most recent email, Schatzel said the pipe has been resecured to prevent further damage, and the sprinkler and alarm systems are back online and operational. She went on to describe the next steps that will be taken in the repair process.
“Steps that will be taken include an inspection of the pipe system to determine that the remainder of the clamps and the pipe itself – it is 200 feet in length – are secure and structurally worthy, repair of the clamp system and pipe as required, as well as, repair of the sheet metal, electrical, network, and drywall affected. Lastly, the water damage will be repaired as well,” Schatzel said via email.
