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Cedar Rapids Public Library in downtown SE Cedar Rapids after the flood on Thursday June 19, 2008. (Cedar Rapids Public Library)

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Flooded Library Closed for One Year

by Mike Wagner, Managing Editor

By Mike Wagner

Story Created: Jul 4, 2008 at 10:18 AM CST

Story Updated: Jul 4, 2008 at 10:47 AM CST

(CEDAR RAPIDS) -- The director of the Cedar Rapids
library says it will be at least one year before the downtown
library reopens.
The library was damaged in flooding last month and library
Director Tamara Glise says plans are in the works to rent a former
Big Lots store to house the library in the interim.
Floodwaters likely destroyed the entire adult collection at the
main branch.
Library spokeswoman Marie DeVries says the main library will not
be able to move into the former Big Lots store until at least fall.
About 32,000 books were checked out when the library was
flooded. Those books will be used to start a new collection.
DeVries says the library hopes to set up an online donation
system for new books, where someone can buy books from a wish list
and donate them to the library.
The library has been lending books from its Westdale branch,
which officials say they hope to expand by later this summer.

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