Fort Simpson (Sep 22/06) - Water and books are two things that aren't suppose to mix, but they did last week at the John Tsetso Memorial Library in Fort Simpson.

A failed coupling in the sprinkler system in the attic above the library at Dehcho Hall caused water to soak through the ceiling.

Librarian Lorraine Ocko carefully pulls apart the pages of one of the reference books that was damaged when water leaked into the John Tsetso Memorial Library. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Lorraine Ocko, the librarian, discovered the leak when she opened the library on the night of Sept. 11. Walking to the back of the library to turn on the lights, Ocko said she saw water gushing through the ceiling tiles and the walls.

Leaking water at the back of the library was falling on the wooden case holding the junior readers section and on the reference book shelves. Following the advice of Public Works' staff, Ocko turned away the children that were waiting to come inside and closed the library.

With help from Brian Jaffray, Ocko moved the junior readers' books before turning to the reference area. Ocko and Jaffray used tarps to protect the material.

The task was complicated because the attic is full of blown-in insulation, the leaks were constantly moving, said Jaffray.

When Ocko opened the library on Monday afternoon she found one sopping wet ceiling tile that had fallen, but said she didn't think much of it.

Ocko said she's glad she opened the library that evening because the facility wasn't scheduled to be open again until 1 p.m. the next day.

"It could have been far, far worse," said Ocko.

Losses from the leak include a number of reference books.

The pages are warped and stuck together from the water damage. The replacement value of the books hasn't been assessed.

The carpet at the back of the library was also saturated with water and is slowly drying.

The leak was caused when the rubber seal on the inside of a coupling joining pipes in the sprinkler system let go, said an official with the Department of Public Works.

The sprinkler system was undergoing tests on Monday prior to the leak.

The system is part of the original equipment from Dehcho Hall's construction making it over 50 years old, said the official.

Following the leak the library was closed for three days before being reopened to the public on Sept. 14.