Donovan Lambright, Automation Librarian

Email from Susan Hart, Director, Rushford PL:

What a week. I can now finally communicate!
Phone, safe water, and lights are a luxury.
Some things that were bothersome before, seem so trivial now.
Our library is the command center since the flood waters did not slap
into this building. I will no longer curse the all the steps I have
sometimes shoveled in the winter to get in. Height is good! The only
damage is from sewer back-up in the basement where we lost magazine back
issues and reading program materials. We have electrical power and the
only up-and-running Internet.  Cell phone ability became a reality 
yesterday but it was very poor quality. Today it is much better. No land
lines as of yet. We will probably not function as a full time library
for another week. The city still has a curfew and National Guard, for
now, at highway entrances. Passes are needed to enter town.
Today, is the first that residents could get back into their homes after
a building inspection. About 200 homes are no longer livable. There are
no downtown businesses that will be reopening anytime soon....if ever.
No food or gas in town. Banks have temp set-ups in the school.
Clean-up is going to be a long tedious process. I appreciate the
information sites offered on the SELCO web page for clean-up. Have made
informational copies for distribution. Also, have so much appreciated
are all the offers of help/assistance from so many of the libraries. It
may be a while before I can thank each of you personally...but know it
touched my heart.