Phoenix book-lovers can breathe a sigh of relief — the latest update from the Burton Barr Central Library water damage says most of the collection is fine.
Phoenix’s main public library has been closed and will be until further notice. But the Burton Barr blog says damage control and cleanup has been progressing very well.
And more than 90 percent of the library’s collection is undamaged. About 6,000 books from the 500,000 book collection were permanently water damaged but will be replaceable.
Library spokesperson Lee Franklin said the exact cost of repairs and book replacement still hasn’t been completely determined.
“The books that we are going to have to completely take offline and not be able to use are from our reference area, which our reference includes things like academics, legal, and things like encyclopedia-type books," Franklin said.
The recovery effort continues as crews begin repairs, but there is still no set date for re-opening.
And no, Franklin said they will not be waiving late fees, but if a library patron only had access to Burton Barr, they can try one of the other 16 locations or call the library system at 602-262-4636.
"We all recognize that something very tremendous happened Saturday night that impeded us all doing normal library operations with Burton Barr," Franklin said. "So please reach out to us, either come into one of our locations or give us a call."
