Clipped this from the paper (Providence Journal) last week:



[Headline]
Boston library staff battles dampness, grief after flood

BOSTON (AP) -- After the flooding that inundated thousands of precious
books, some Boston Public Library staffers are so overcome with grief that
the city has brought in counselors to help them cope.

"It's a process, just like when someone dies," Veronica Rock, the library's
human resources director, told a reporter from The Boston Globe.  "People
get into the task of cleaning up, but then it will be, 'Now what will I
do?' "

A water-main break last Sunday flooded 50,000 cartons of books.

The 1972 wing of the library, called the Johnson building, reopened on
Thursday, and officials hope to reopen part of the historic 103-year-old
McKim building, which houses the research library, tomorrow.

At least 25 library workers have used the city's employee-assistance
program to obtain grief counseling, and many more have been encouraged to
express their emotions at staff meetings.

Still others have chosen to stay home, rather than come to work and
confront the depressing sight of muddy, damaged books.

"It's not just a job to any one of us," said science department curator
Marilyn McLean.

Some library workers have reported waking up at odd hours, in a panic.
Others have complained of upset stomachs, headaches and weeping.

The library plans to ship some of the damaged books and government
documents -- in refrigerated trucks -- to Disaster Recovery Services, in
Fort Worth, Texas, where they will be freeze-dried and cleaned.



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Edward Baker
Assistant Director, Interpretation Department
Mystic Seaport Museum
Box 6000
Mystic, CT  06355

(860)572-0711 ext 5080
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<http://www.mysticseaport.org>
<http://www.alhfam.org>
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