Like everyone else across southeast Texas, we've been trying to get back to normal in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. The good news is that, as of Thursday morning, all but one of HCPL twenty-seven branches have power, AC and internet. Only Atascocita Branch Library is not open and back to normal operating hours.
By and large, HCPL branches weathered the storm quite well compared to Hurricanes Ike and Harvey which caused heavy damage to several branches. While Atascocita Branch Library and several staff members' homes are still without power, we are grateful to have come through as well as we did.
"Yeah, yeah, we're glad you're okay, but what about the books?!"
Moisture is the enemy of books and moisture travels. It can wick from book to book on a shelf so that even a relatively small amount of water can ruin a lot of books. And where there is moisture and warmth, like, say, in an unairconditioned library when the power is out, mold and mildew are sure to follow. So even before power was restored, library staff was carefully inspecting every book on every shelf in all of our branches.
Unfortunately, some books didn't make it, but staff took steps to make sure the damage didn't spread to other books.
What Does the Library Do with Old and Damaged Books?
Books are removed from circulation, or "weeded" in libraryspeak, for any number of reasons, chiefly because they contain outdated information, have been superseded by newer editions, or are damaged.
Because Harris County bylaws prohibit HCPL from selling books that are removed from our shelves, retired books are boxed up and sent to Better World Books (BWB), where they start the next chapter of their lives. BWB recycles and sells these materials and provides books to communities in need around the world. Water-damaged books cannot be recycled or resold and pose a very real threat of mold contamination to undamaged books, so we cannot send them to Better World Books. HCPL's books damaged by Hurricane Beryl will be discarded.
Rest assured, everyone at HCPL takes our responsibility to Harris County taxpayers very seriously. We do not discard books that can be safely rescued. The Collection Development Department is continuing to assess branch collections, and putting together orders to replace the casualties of Hurricane Beryl.
This Library Is About a Lot More Than Books
As soon as power was restored to a few branches, the call went out for staff to open them and keep them open for extended hours to give communities relief from the heat and stress. HCPL staff, many of them struggling with storm damage and without power in their own homes, stepped up in a big way, as they did after Hurricanes Ike and Harvey and as they did with weekend cooling centers during last summer's record-breaking heat wave. In the days after Beryl, HCPL staff distributed food boxes, got residents started on the long FEMA relief process, and perhaps most importantly, gave patrons a friendly, welcoming, and cool space to come to.
Here's where I remind you that the library is a great place to cool off, relax, and recharge
Libraries, all year long, are one of the few spaces you can go where there is absolutely no expectation that you must spend money. This is particularly important when your electricity is out, and budgets are tight because of storm-related work stoppages and the need to repair damaged homes.
We know thousands of area residents are still without power. HCPL encourages all to visit their nearest branch, if for no other reason than to de-stress for awhile. But there are many other reasons to visit: we have computers, WiFi, a variety of programs for kids, teens, and adults, and, of course, AC and comfy places to sit,
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