The Rock Valley Library is setting up a new temporary home after the devastating flood this summer destroyed over 40,000 books. The floods this summer took over the shelves, destroying books and everything else in its path. The library, now located at 1503 14th Street, is being rebuilt by Library Director Nicole McCray and her team. Despite the loss, they have managed to salvage nearly 10,000 books from their original collection.
In the wake of the disaster, book donations poured in from across the country, with contributions from places as far as Denver and Chicago. McCray reported receiving over 100,000 books. While the library is no longer accepting book donations, monetary contributions are still welcome, and the staff is organizing fundraising efforts to support the recovery. McCray highlighted a “Pixel Peg” fundraiser that they are currently doing. For more details about said fundraiser, check out the library’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
The team is working diligently to catalog, sort, and cover the new collection, aiming to reopen by December if all goes according to plan. Library Director Nicole McCray will be a guest on The Daily Grind show in early December as well, to discuss the library’s progress and fundraisers.
