FARMINGTON — During heavy rain on Dec. 27, librarian Melanie Taylor Coombs found that water had seeped into the rug in the Children’s Room on the basement level of the Farmington Public Library.

A small section of the original brick foundation had collapsed, allowing water in, Coombs said. It may have been a failure in the outside water barrier installed during the building addition, the building may have been shaken at some point or the drainage system could have failed, she said.

“It can’t be pinpointed, but we realize we have a very fragile building and we just have to deal with it just like any homeowner would,” she said. “Some of the mortar is 100 years old on one of the most historic buildings in Farmington and maybe even the state.”

The repairs will cost $8,000 to $10,000, Coombs said. Public areas of the library have not been damaged, she said.

The library has only had to close the past two Tuesdays, allowing Standard Waterproofing of Waterville to work Mondays when the library is closed anyway and into Tuesday as necessary.

Interior walls have been sealed, a sump pump installed next to the furnace and a wall removed from the Children’s Room to reach and seal an exterior wall in the area where two oil tanks were located. One tank was removed to complete the wall-sealing; the two older tanks will be combined into one new tank, Coombs said.

The Children’s Room wall will have to be replaced, and it will likely be another week or so before the Children’s Room is back to normal.

To combat previous water issues, the library has sealed some of the original granite walls, had a waterproof membrane installed around the new addition and installed a drainage system, Coombs said.

She credited the library’s trustees with keeping on top of the water issues and pitching in to vacuum water, move books and take steps to preserve and protect the historic architecture.

“They’ve been wonderful,” she said.

Getting volunteers to help dust, clean and return books to shelves in the next couple of weeks would also be wonderful, she said.

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“Water and books don’t mix,” said librarian Melanie Taylor Coombs as she uncovered a children’s book at the Farmington Public Library on Thursday. Books were taken from shelves and covered as workmen sealed granite walls, installed a sump pump and replaced oil tanks after water seeped into the furnace room of the library.

“Water and books don’t mix,” said librarian Melanie Taylor Coombs as
she uncovered a children’s book at the Farmington Public Library on
Thursday. Books were taken from shelves and covered as workmen sealed
granite walls, installed a sump pump and replaced oil tanks after water
seeped into the furnace room of the library.