If you are a fan of Star Trek, you are familiar with the assimilation of Captain Jean Luc Picard into the nefarious entity known as The Borg. While the multiple air hoses snaking into the building give much the same feel as a takeover by The Borg, the outcome will hopefully be much more positive. Putman Restoration has been working around the clock since a small fire on the library’s fourth floor was drowned out by tens of thousand of gallons of water in the early morning hours on April 17.

Hoses snake up the east side of the Shreve Memorial Library.

SML Marketing and Development Director Samantha Bonnette told us the sprinklers did their job well, too well, in fact. “They just kept running and running.” She says the sprinklers waterlogged the fourth floor where the fire starter, then flowed onto the floors below, ending in the basement. “It’s a mess,” she says. Luckily, she says it appears that less than 10% of the book collection was damaged as most of it was boxed in preparation for a big renovation project. “
Bonnette says there is a flurry of activity happening. In addition to all the work in drying the building and contents out, they are assessing the damage and dealing with insurance companies. She confirms that no library functions are happening at 424 Texas. “We were working on a new layout for the entire library, including revamping the 3rd and 4th floors for Southern University (School of Law),” Bonnette tells us. “This is in addition to roof and window work and dealing with some previous water damage.”

Putman Restoration called for the dry out.

The popular book sale has been cancelled.

The Friends of the Shreve Memorial Library had been working weekends planning for the April 29/30 book sale, but a cancellation went up on their Facebook page soon after the extent of the damage was known.
Shreve Memorial Library Friends has canceled the Spring Book Sale, which was on April 29th & 30th. We are very sorry for the sudden cancellation.

What a beautiful building.

424 Texas is a historic building more than a century old. The majority of the building has been closed to the public since Covid.