Update on August 16, 2012
On Wednesday, August 15, UMass Dartmouth was affected by torrential rain that swept through the SouthCoast. In less than an hour between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., the campus sustained almost 2 inches of rain, which affected the Claire T. Carney Library.
As part of an ongoing 3-year renovation project, work was being done on the roof of the Library. Water entered the Library's fifth floor and water leaked into the fourth floor. Thanks to quick action by members of Library staff, books that could have been affected by the water were removed to safe areas and the Library was immediately evacuated.
Staff from the University, the state Division of Capital Asset Management, which oversees the renovation work, and Consigli, the contractor carrying out the renovation work on the roof, acted to stop any water leaks, assess damage and begin necessary repairs.
As a result, the decision was made last night by the University to close the Library until Monday, August 20, in order to allow the cleanup, assessment and repair process to move as quickly and safely as possible.
Throughout this process, the primary concern of the University and our partners has, and will continue to be the safety of students, employees and members of the community who use the Library.
Out of an abundance of caution, access to the Library has been restricted to individuals who are engaged in the assessment and cleanup. As of today, the University still expects the Library to reopen on Monday, August 20, pending the results of the assessment.
-Deb McLaughlin
COO and Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance