Water damage closed the Moline Public Library after a sprinkler burst inside on Christmas Eve.
Thursday morning, crews from Blaze Restoration were drilling holes into the drywall and running large fans to prevent mold growth.
On Tuesday evening, staff found nearly three inches of water in the library lobby.
"Security started calling me during church service, Christmas Eve service in Tennessee, around 9 or 9:30," said Library Director Lee Ann Fisher. "With the sprinkler going off like a water fountain, he said it was a horrible sight to walk into a library and see that much water."
The worst damage was in The Café and the Friends Bookstore. Laminate flooring had to be removed and some bookshelves in the bookstore may need to be replaced.
Fisher said she doesn’t expect to have to replace any walls in the building, though, and that the books are okay. She said they are lucky that books in the main library were already stored several inches above the ground.
"We've gotten the water stopped, we've gotten the water removed, and we're in the process of drying things out to see where we are," said Fisher.
Crews are also still figuring out what went wrong with the faulty sprinkler, and they are determining whether or not the cold weather may have played a role. Despite the mess, staff and patrons said they felt lucky Thursday.
"When I first saw the service people, I thought maybe there was a fire or something, and I was really worried about my friends the librarians. Now, if it's a sprinkler, and the books are okay, I'll rest easy," said one visitor.
The library was closed Thursday, December 26, 2013, and was expected to reopen Saturday at 9 a.m. The Cafe and Friends' Bookstore, though, will likely remain closed for awhile.
