We are like this in Schoharie -
Bent, but still blooming!

Still a Work in Progress

We have walls, and they have been taped and plastered, and will be primed this week. The cleaning company has been here to measure for an estimate. Once it's clean so the mastic will actually stick to the floor, then carpeting can happen. It's really gonna happen!
Went to Community Library (Cobleskill) this morning to accept a check from the Teddy Bear Picnic & Raffle. Whoever would have thought that all those cute bears could have made $800 for our Library PLUS money for the Middleburgh Library?!? Thank you, Ginger Houghton of Schenectady!

We Have Walls!!

Update as of Nov. 11, 2011

The Board of Trustees has chosen a furnace contractor and we are on his list. Temporary heaters are to be installed this weekend and that will help to dry out the building even more. Wood studs are @ 14.5%, not dry enough to insulate and sheetroock over yet. Electrical work continues, and the fire alarm system is temporarily reconnected. Loose floor tiles have been removed, so when the time comes, carpeting can be glued to a dry secure surface.
The Front Room looking towards the front hall & The Reference Room looking towards Knower Ave.

STATUS UPDATE as of Sat. 10/15/11

Thanks to many great volunteers, all the water soaked and mud coated stuff has been removed from the building. Keep finding little pockets of goop, but that's minimal. Water, power, phone/fax, and WiFi internet have been restored. JA has loaned me a computer so you can return books here again. The studs have been tested for moisture, but they are not dry enough yet to put the walls back together. The furnaces in the cellar are ruined and must be replaced, so it's a little chilly in here. Suburban brought us a new propane tank today and got the remaining furnace in the attic working, so I hope that with some fans going, some of that heat will make it downstairs. The (replaced) dehumidifier and sump pump in the cellar work constantly, but the ground is SO saturated, water continually oozes in through the fieldstone walls. I wish everything was back to normal, but it will be a long time before it is. I'm there most every day, so stop in and say hello - I miss you guys!
Cathy

To Donate to The Library

The #1 need as of mid-October is for MONEY. Furnaces, ductwork,
electrical, hot water, walls, flooring, cabinetry, shelving, fire alarm system - all these things have to be replaced/repaired before we can even think of reopening. Please mail a check to P.O. Box 519, Schoharie, NY 12157.
If you wish to donate books, etc. (preferably new ones!), be aware that there is no space to store them in the Library itself. Please send them to:
Margaret Carballeira, Trustee
630 Rickard Hill Road
Schoharie, NY 12157
OR
Meg Berdan, Trustee
c/o Golding Middle School
193 Golding Drive
Cobleskill, NY 12043

Volunteers Wish List

Since so many of you have asked, here's my Volunteers Wish List
of things that still need to be done at the Schoharie Library.
1. all the nails bent down where they come through from the siding
(to prep for new insulation)
2. last several pieces of drywall removed
3. several sand tubes emptied and carried up from the cellar
4. plaster walls in the original part of the building checked and
any loose/bubbling areas scraped off
5. bottom 2 or 3 wooden shelves rewashed after plaster checked
6. remaining mud removed from the cellar (not very much left, honest)
7. brick walkway edged and cleaned so the bricks can be read again

We made progress!
Thanks,
Cathy Caiazzo

Help us help our neighboring public libraries recover from Hurricane Irene!

The Schoharie Free Library and the Middleburgh Library in Schoharie County need your help to rebuild their recently damaged book collections. Schoharie Library lost the bottom two plus shelves throughout and Middleburgh lost the bottom one plus shelves due to Hurricane Irene damage.
Three local independent bookstores have established funds to help them purchase replacement titles. Your donations in any dollar amount will be greatly appreciated. Please call the Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady at 518-346-2719; Market Block Books at 518-328-0045 or Book House in Colonie at 518-489-4761 with a credit card to donate. Or, stop by any of these stores in person to donate.
Sue Rokos
MVLS

TO CLARIFY THE BOOK DONATION SITUATION

At the moment, the Schoharie Library doesn't have enough space to store the books you would like to give to us. I stand corrected that the space I thought was available is not, so please do not ship any books to MVLS, either. We need to replace furnaces, carpeting and shelving before any books find their new homes. We are working on creating a list of the books that we know we need to replace and will post the list as soon as it is available. We would appreciate donations of replacements for the books we lost. The Library and I deeply appreciate your concern and best wishes.

Thank you, Cathy Caiazzo, Director

Shelving? Not yet, but it will be again! ->->->

CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

Due to water damage from Irene, the Library is closed. The closest functioning library at this time is Community Library on Union Street in Cobleskill. We had the cellar entirely full of mud and water and 27" of the same on the first floor. Water was restored Thursday afternoon, but the power won't be hooked back up until after the building wiring is repaired and passes inspection. We are very grateful for all the patrons, friends, and passers-by who have all helped in so many ways. We will be back!
Cathy Caiazzo, Director