Many people don’t take mold growth seriously, and in Jackson, Mississippi, they are paying the consequences. Unfortunately, in this case, the library did take the mold infestation seriously. But they weren’t able to relocate soon enough to save anything. Now, the entire book collection is lost.
For the past few years, the library has been suffering floods and water damage whenever it rained. The library closed two years ago due to the potential for mold toxicity. After funding problems. A lack of locations to move to. Also, volunteer numbers dwindled due to the risk of mold toxicity. Basically, the books were left to rot because of the mold infestation. So, even if they could have been removed, they were full of spores. That would grow if moved to another location.
The number of books lost? 34 thousand. It is a tragedy, and it is all caused by mold. Of course, the city and volunteers tried to save the situation. However, it couldn’t be handled in a short enough time frame to save the books. It is a tragedy. But it is only saved by the fact that they have accepted that the library is a total loss. So nobody gets injured.
The books will now have to be properly disposed of, and they should never be opened again. It is unknown if the drainage problems the building suffers can be fixed. But the library will have to start completely over to exist again.
Library Was a Total Loss
If there is one lesson that can be learned from this terrible tragedy. It is the overwhelming power of mold infestation. This is why it is important to remedy any water that can get into your home, and it is why it is important that the mold is removed properly.
It isn’t a simple task. If mold can infiltrate 35,000 books, imagine what it can do in the home. Laundry can attract mold spores, and so can linens, couches, and mattresses. If the problem is a window sill, there maybe carpet, drywall, and insulation that needs to be removed.
Furthermore, it must be removed safely. The lack of volunteers at the end of Tisdale Library’s situation. Because of the health hazard of removing items with that much mold. Now, only trained professionals with proper personal protective equipment will go in. Whatever comes out of the building will be sealed and transported to a safe disposal area.
The loss of 35,000 books and a library is a tragedy. But it is also a tragedy of how many people suffer the consequences of mold toxicity. Because they don’t take it seriously. If you think you have a mold problem, please call a specialist. Not only could it ruin your personal belongings, but it could deteriorate your health.