June 2008. Floods.
Chain of Volunteers at University of Iowa.
Hundreds of volunteers formed a chain to remove books and dissertations from the campus library, while others transferred art works from the museum as the arts campus was submerged. — Hundreds of volunteers passing books from hand to hand up staircases moved much of the University of Iowa library’s contents out of the reach of floodwaters.
Nancy Baker, the head librarian at the main library in Iowa City, told National Public Radio Saturday library staff began moving boxes of manuscripts out of the basement Wednesday.
She put out a call for volunteers and got an overwhelming response from the university and community. The volunteers worked through 9 p.m. Friday.”Hundreds of people showed up, hour after hour,” she said.
The library staff was concerned about anything likely to be damaged by humidity and mold, Baker said.
“The third floor of our library looks like a bunker,” she said. “We moved as much as we could possibly save.”
[moving books from the Preservation Dept. in the basement up to the second floor.]
Cedar Rapids Public Library (CRPL),
Water up to its second story
National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library.
Some unique materials removed.