While the majority of Delphi residents were snowed in at home during the second week of January, an unfortunate circumstance was occurring at the local high school. A main water pipe froze and burst in the upstairs guidance office, causing the library beneath it to suffer significant damage. 377 books were weeded from the shelves. A majority of the loss came from the “300”s section, including a plethora of nonfiction and sociology work.
Ms. Lawton said, ”Lots of buildings had water pipes break. We were not the only ones. It’s just something that happens.” In keeping a positive outlook on the situation, Ms. Lawton was very thankful for all of the custodians and aides that came to her assistance. “We could not have done it without them,” she said. The custodians found the damage occurring early and began to work. Working for approximately an entire day on their own, the custodians saved a majority of what could have easily been lost from the high school library.
Since this tragic occurrence, the library has been figuring out ways to find the money to replace all of the lost books. The report has been given to the administration office. The total estimated damage of the lost books is $6,500.00
Due to the loss of so many books, the library is holding an amnesty week. Between now and Jan. 24, anyone who returns a book with fines will have those fines wiped away. The hope is to encourage students to return their library books, thus increasing the amount of books in circulation.
