Title
Reflections on the Water: 10 Months After the Great Holiday Flood
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
10-25-2023 10:00 AM
Abstract
On the night of December 25, 2022, Florida State University Libraries suffered a catastrophic flood on its two lower floors due to a frozen HVAC water line. In those critical hours when water continued to rain down on collections, first responders worked to salvage materials and mitigate damage. The flood affected many of FSU Special Collections and Archives’ diverse collections, soaking rare books, manuscript collections, and artifacts. In the following days, the FSU Special Collections and Archives team developed and implemented short- and long-term strategies to ensure the recovery of its collections. Nearly a year later, SCA is in the midst of relocating its subbasement collections to remote storage and reflecting on the actions taken over the past 10 months. In this presentation, FSU Special Collections and Archives’ Preservation Librarian, Hannah Wiatt Davis, will discuss the successes, pitfalls, and lessons learned from the recovery efforts. This presentation and discussion will be relevant for attendees preparing for water events in their collections.
Organization Link
https://www.fsu.edu/
Streaming Media
Reflections on the Water: 10 Months After the Great Holiday Flood
On the night of December 25, 2022, Florida State University Libraries suffered a catastrophic flood on its two lower floors due to a frozen HVAC water line. In those critical hours when water continued to rain down on collections, first responders worked to salvage materials and mitigate damage. The flood affected many of FSU Special Collections and Archives’ diverse collections, soaking rare books, manuscript collections, and artifacts. In the following days, the FSU Special Collections and Archives team developed and implemented short- and long-term strategies to ensure the recovery of its collections. Nearly a year later, SCA is in the midst of relocating its subbasement collections to remote storage and reflecting on the actions taken over the past 10 months. In this presentation, FSU Special Collections and Archives’ Preservation Librarian, Hannah Wiatt Davis, will discuss the successes, pitfalls, and lessons learned from the recovery efforts. This presentation and discussion will be relevant for attendees preparing for water events in their collections.