by Brandale Mills
Daily Lobo
The University spent $2.3 million dollars to repair Centennial Library after a pipe froze and burst last December, spilling more than 40,000 gallons of water into the building. While some areas were accessible to students in March, the entire library was reopened Wednesday after nine months of construction.
Joel Straquadine, manager of facilities maintenance, said flood alarms were installed and about $400,000 of flooring was placed.
Straquadine said it took the last eight to nine weeks to complete most of the renovations.
"The bathroom was completely gutted and rebuilt," he said. "The ends of the wooden bookshelves also had to be replaced."
More than 134 library faculty and staff volunteered to clean up the damages, according to a PowerPoint presentaion given Wednesday.
Private contractors were also hired to do repairs.
Student Samuel Rodriguez said he is happy the library was reopened.
He hasn't been able to use study areas because of the closure, he said.
"Certain material I needed was shifted to a different storage room, so it was a three-day delay getting them," he said.
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As an electrical engineering major, Rodriguez said he uses Centennial Library every day.
"I use it to get away and concentrate on work," he said. "It has great resources."
Johann van Reenen, director of Centennial Library, said precautions were made while choosing the flooring to prevent future flood damage.
"We now have tile that is mold resistant," he said.
Straquadine said most of the cost was covered by the University's insurance - FM Global - and about $1,000 came out of UNM's facilities budget.
About 300 books were counted as a loss, but most could be restored, he said.
The saved books were placed in boxes and moved into the Ford Utilities Center in January. More than 30,000 boxes were sent.
Student Carlos Riofrio used the library for the first time Wednesday. He had been in the library earlier in the day and thought it was OK, he said.
More than 30,000 maps were damaged in the flood and some were sent to a company in Texas that freeze-dried the maps to remove all the moisture - others were too damaged for restoration.
Dena Kinney, director of the Fine Arts Library, said the library reopening was excellent.
"The books are accessible again," she said.
Student John Smith said he didn't know the library was celebrating its reopening. He said he wasn't affected by the closure, but he uses the library every day.
"The carpet is nicer," Smith said, examining the library.
