By David Taber

Aldermen-at-Large Dennis M. Sullivan had heard reports about the central branch library‚Äôs leaking roof, but it was not until he toured the building that he realized the extent of its troubles.    

“They had these big pieces of plastic covering the computers,” said Sullivan, who held office hours there Saturday, March 17.

As a result of the snowstorm that hit the city the Friday before the library‚Äôs skylights were leaking and a bank of computers was covered to avoid water damage. 

Meredith McCulloch, who has been serving as director of the library since February, said she has been told the leaks have been an issue for several years.  The skylights often leak when covered with snow or during heavy windblown rainstorms.

“I called the DPW on the day it was leaking,” she said.

City Hall Spokesman Thomas P. Champion confirmed the skylights have been leaking since before Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone took office in 2003. In the next month the city plans to install gutters to prevent the accumulation of moisture, he said. 

Champion said he did not know how many work orders had been put in for the library roof over the years.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) is planning to install the gutters in the next month, using in-house labor, he said. “Apparently it’s one of those problems that is episodic so while it occurs from time to time it has not been a crisis,” he said.

‚ÄúIt will only cost a few hundred dollars,‚Äù he said. 

Sullivan submitted an order, signed by the entire board, directing DPW Commissioner Stan Koty to repair the leak and fix the carpet at the west branch library at last week’s Aldermen meeting. He said library representative had testified about the problems at a board‚Äôs finance committee meeting three weeks ago, but he had not realized how serious it was until he got a chance to see it for himself.

“Routine maintenance is what we are dealing with here, these should be comfortable places where people can get away to read and study,” he said.