The lower level of Centennial Library opened Wednesday after $2.2 million in repairs.
Joel Straquadine, facility maintenance manager, said 99 percent of the construction is done.
"We wanted to open," he said. "We've got school going on. We want that building open."
The cost of repairs was paid by UNM's insurance company, FM Global.
Some repairs still need to be done, Straquadine said, including carpeting the stairwell and fixing skylights that leak. He said the bathrooms in the lower level will open next week.
The lower level was closed while repairs were made after a pipe burst on Dec. 24 that damaged the building.
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Straquadine said 80 to 90 percent of the damage was done to the lower level of the library.
Repairs to the building have been going on since the flood.
Jim Nellessen, a community member, was the only person in the library around 4 p.m. Wednesday.
He said he was happy the library opened because he was getting worried he wasn't going to be able to get his work completed. He is working on a project for the U.S. Forest Service.
"It is due in two weeks," he said. "When it opened up, I was happy."
He said he was doing most of his work on the computer while the library was closed for repairs.
George Farr, manager of the library, said people have been happy with the opening of the lower level.
"It's been such a big success," he said. "People are enjoying it. Now they can browse the books."
While the library was closed, books were available by interlibrary loan.
Books that were stored while repairs were being made have been reshelved, according to a news release.
The more than 30,000 maps that were damaged by the flood will be returned over the next few days, according to the release.
Straquadine said the library is asking the University for just under a million dollars to complete the construction over the summer.
