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By Diana Bowley of the News Staff - GREENVILLE - The Shaw Public Library, which has been plagued with water problems, will be closed until further notice. The library trustees and town officials concurred on Thursday that the library should be closed until a specialist can determine if there is a mold problem, and if so, find a solution, according to Greenville Town Manager John Simko. Earlier in the summer, heavy rainfall pooled around the foundation and flooded the basement where the children's collection is housed. Those materials not destroyed were examined closely for mold and were relocated elsewhere, librarian Karen Chandler said Friday. The basement was again flooded by about 2 feet of water on Sept. 15 and 17. An air quality test conducted on Aug. 4 found that there was some fungus caused by the water damage, but it was not considered a health issue, according to Simko. The latest flooding, however, has altered the conditions, he said Friday. "We're concerned because there's a greater presence of mold," Simko said. An investigation into the flooding revealed that a state-owned catch basin between the library and Aunti M's restaurant was damaged. The Department of Transportation began work this week to repair that problem, Simko said. To further protect the library from flooding, an engineer has recommended that a perimeter drain be installed around the library. While the outside problem is being addressed, Simko has asked a ontractor who specializes in mold remediation to inspect the interior of the facility. That work is expected to be done by Wednesday, he said. "We just have to make sure that everything is fine," Chandler said Friday. She said the closing is just to protect patrons and the library employees in case the mold poses a danger. "We're taking it one day at a time," Chander said. She thanked the community and the patrons for their understanding. The librarian at the Shirley Public Library has offered to loan books to Greenville residents while the facility is closed, Chandler said. |