UNM Zimmerman Fire Recovery Update

From an email to the New Mexico Library Association: "I want to update you on our progress recovering from the fire in Zimmerman Library on April 30. While there is still a great deal to be done, we have taken major steps towards recovering over the last four months.

"The cause of the fire, which happened in the basement of the library in the periodicals and microforms area, is still under official investigation. The total damage is estimated at over $10 million. Approximately 30,000 journals in American history, Latin American studies, ethnic studies, anthropology, geography and cultural studies were destroyed. All surviving journals have been taken to an out-of-state disaster recovery company to be cleaned.

"The basement was very heavily damaged; all the flooring, ceiling titles and walls have been removed. The area will be redesigned and rebuilt, and will not re-open before summer, 2007. The second and third floors are open, as is the Center for Southwest Research. Most of the first floor is open; only the former reference area is still closed. That first floor reference area is being repaired and remodeled in order to provide more public space, more computers and a sprinkler system. The first floor will re-open in the late fall.

"The Library's web page at http://elibrary.unm.edu has links to more information about the fire and our recovery... Fran Wilkinson, Professor of Librarianship, Interim Dean of University Libraries"