Rain shuts down Sapulpaâ€™s library

For months Oklahoma has been suffering from too little rain. Lakes, rivers and farm ponds are low on water, and we've had more grass fires than we can count. <br/><br/>As News on 6 reporter Rick

Tuesday, January 10th 2006, 1:25 pm

By: News On 6

For months Oklahoma has been suffering from too little rain. Lakes, rivers and farm ponds are low on water, and we've had more grass fires than we can count.

As News on 6 reporter Rick Wells explains, folks at the Sapulpa Library got too much rain, it shut them down.

When we heard the Sapulpa Library was closed due to rain, we just had to go see. Sure enough when we got to 27 West Dewey Avenue in Sapulpa, the sign said closed.

A telephone call got someone to come down and open the door. Library Director Karla Shaffer said that little bit of rain we got Christmas eve shut them down. "We were in the process of getting a new roof at the time, the water came in through the roof mostly in the office area, soaked the carpet and into our teen area over here as well."

The good news, no books or essential files were damaged, but the carpet had to all be pulled up. "We're waiting on new carpet. At this point everything has been dried up. They've put down and anti microbial agent to prevent mold. We're just waiting on new carpet installation."

In the meantime, it's a mess, everything that was on the floor is now on something else. She says it's a bit of an adventure to find the things they need. The Sapulpa library is one of only a few of the original Carnegie Libraries still operating in Oklahoma and patrons are eager to get back in. "We've had people calling since pretty early on wanting to know when we were gonna re-open and when they can get back in."

Librarians are working to get books inventoried and put back where they belong.

A library closed due to rain, proof even a little rain at the wrong time can be a big problem.

Barring any further delays the Sapulpa Library expects to be open on the 19th. If you have books checked out, no fines are being charged while they're closed.