Hurricane in MississippiHurricane in MississippiAssessment of damage to Assessment of damage to

library, archival and museum collectionslibrary, archival and museum collections

September 22-29, 2005September 22-29, 2005

Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina On August 29On August 29th, 2005th, 2005

Katrina came ashore Katrina came ashore at the Louisiana and at the Louisiana and Mississippi boarder Mississippi boarder subjecting the entire subjecting the entire Mississippi coast and Mississippi coast and two thirds of the state two thirds of the state to the strong right to the strong right side of the storm. side of the storm.

Two phases of Two phases of the stormthe storm

A tsunami like storm A tsunami like storm surge of from 26 to 38 surge of from 26 to 38 feet came ashore and feet came ashore and moved up to 6 miles moved up to 6 miles inland.inland.

Hurricane winds, Hurricane winds, rains and tornados rains and tornados swept further inland swept further inland over two thirds of the over two thirds of the state of Mississippi. state of Mississippi.

On the On the Mississippi coastMississippi coast The storm surge The storm surge

obliterated beach obliterated beach front neighborhoods front neighborhoods leaving only steel leaving only steel frames of modern frames of modern buildings while buildings while wooden building wooden building constructions were constructions were smashed into piles of smashed into piles of debris.debris.

Four weeks after the Four weeks after the storm cities such as storm cities such as Gulfport, Biloxi, Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula, Bay St. Pascagoula, Bay St. Louis remained Louis remained without water and without water and electricity. The town electricity. The town of Pass Christian no of Pass Christian no longer exists. longer exists.

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Throughout the Katrina and Rita events, Throughout the Katrina and Rita events, New Orleans received complete and New Orleans received complete and continuous news coverage. Although continuous news coverage. Although relatively unreported, destruction in towns relatively unreported, destruction in towns and cities in Mississippi and displacement and cities in Mississippi and displacement of residents was as catastrophic as it was of residents was as catastrophic as it was in New Orleans.in New Orleans.

Damage to CollectionsDamage to Collections Throughout the Gulf region over 100 school Throughout the Gulf region over 100 school

libraries and 25 public libraries were destroyed libraries and 25 public libraries were destroyed or damaged beyond repair.or damaged beyond repair.

The fate of Mississippi collections ranged from The fate of Mississippi collections ranged from complete loss to survival without damage. Much complete loss to survival without damage. Much archival material in the South remains in private archival material in the South remains in private family collections and the extent of loss in that family collections and the extent of loss in that category remains unknowable. Accumulated category remains unknowable. Accumulated assessments of damage to Mississippi library, assessments of damage to Mississippi library, museum and archives tells a good news/bad museum and archives tells a good news/bad news story. news story.

Of 13 collections assessed in 10 citiesOf 13 collections assessed in 10 cities

2 no longer exist2 no longer exist 3 survived with major 3 survived with major

damage and lossdamage and loss 8 survived damaged8 survived damaged

(view of Biloxi Public (view of Biloxi Public Library)Library)

We anticipated mold damageWe anticipated mold damage

Contexts of Damage due to MoldContexts of Damage due to Mold

Housing or Housing or enclosure factorsenclosure factors Building factorsBuilding factors Behavioral factorsBehavioral factors General factorsGeneral factors

Housing or enclosure factorsHousing or enclosure factors Exhibit cases and Exhibit cases and

Tyvek envelopes Tyvek envelopes nurtured moldnurtured mold

Glazed wall mounted Glazed wall mounted materials were at riskmaterials were at risk

Polyethylene sheets, Polyethylene sheets, used as protective used as protective coverings, nurtured coverings, nurtured moldmold

Building factorsBuilding factors Plywood board-up Plywood board-up

remained in place remained in place inhibiting building inhibiting building ventilationventilation

After four weeks, After four weeks, indoor ecologies indoor ecologies mirror outdoor except mirror outdoor except for the dark and for the dark and stillness indoors.stillness indoors.

Behavioral factorsBehavioral factors An inappropriate An inappropriate

“germ theory” of mold “germ theory” of mold propagation was propagation was applied suggesting applied suggesting that isolation or that isolation or discard of molded discard of molded materials is needed materials is needed and that ventilation and that ventilation will spread mold will spread mold growth growth

General factorsGeneral factors Evidentially salt water Evidentially salt water

inhibits mold activityinhibits mold activity Mold presents a long Mold presents a long

term risk to term risk to collections blooming collections blooming as passive drying is as passive drying is completedcompleted

What we didWhat we did

Listened to stories of the hurricaneListened to stories of the hurricane Demonstrated collection stabilization and Demonstrated collection stabilization and

methods for arrest of mold.methods for arrest of mold. Produced assessments of prevailing Produced assessments of prevailing

conditions and recommended actionsconditions and recommended actions Composed and advanced NEH Composed and advanced NEH

emergency fundings. (4 of 4 approved)emergency fundings. (4 of 4 approved) Proposed CALM response services.Proposed CALM response services.

What we didWhat we did Listen to the stories and experiences Listen to the stories and experiences

Resilient MississippiansResilient Mississippians

Collection stabilizationCollection stabilization Demonstrated drying Demonstrated drying

of archives and safe of archives and safe handling of mold.handling of mold.

Interacted with Interacted with salvage companies to salvage companies to prevent damaging prevent damaging collection evacuationscollection evacuations

Composed NEH requestsComposed NEH requests Described prevailing Described prevailing

conditions and risksconditions and risks Detailed recommended Detailed recommended

actionsactions ““walked” requests to the walked” requests to the

NEH division of NEH division of Preservation and AccessPreservation and Access

Debriefed to other teams Debriefed to other teams and coordinatorsand coordinators

Future response capacityFuture response capacity Proposal to integrate Proposal to integrate

AIC and training AIC and training programs to respond programs to respond more effectively.more effectively.

Proposed longer on-Proposed longer on-site presence of site presence of conservatorsconservators

Proposed more co-Proposed more co-ordination between ordination between on-site effortson-site efforts

AASLH assessment team 01/MSAASLH assessment team 01/MS Ashley Barnett, Driver, Fire & Ashley Barnett, Driver, Fire &

Rescue, Burnet, TXRescue, Burnet, TX Joy Barnett, Dispatcher, Texas Joy Barnett, Dispatcher, Texas

Association of MuseumsAssociation of Museums Randy Silverman, Conservator, Randy Silverman, Conservator,

University of UtahUniversity of Utah Gary Frost, Conservator, Gary Frost, Conservator,

University of IowaUniversity of Iowa

acknowledgementsacknowledgements

American Association for State and Local American Association for State and Local HistoryHistory

Mississippi Department of Archives and Mississippi Department of Archives and HistoryHistory

NEH Division of Preservation and AccessNEH Division of Preservation and Access

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