On the second day of September, North Allegheny Senior High School students woke up to unusual news: school was to be canceled because of a pipe burst within the building. The upperclassmen spent the day bragging to their peers at NAI while enjoying their unexpected day off.

When classes at NASH resumed, students were not significantly affected by the burst pipe, save for a lack of access to the third floor printer. However, the water and glycol leak caused damage to the heart of the second floor — the NASH library.

“When I found out that the glycol leak had impacted the library, I was very anxious,” NASH librarian Ms. Wienand told The Uproar. “However, when I actually saw the damage, it was not as bad as I had feared. The liquid flowed down the wall behind the shelves in the fiction section, damaging the wall and the carpet. Fortunately,  the shelves protected the books, and we didn’t lose any titles to the spill.” 

Despite the minimal damage, the library was still feeling the effects of the pipe burst after seven months. During the spring break, while students were going out on vacation, a crew of students, library staff, and custodians prepared the library for a full-scale re-carpeting. 

The project required the relocation of a multitude of books, which proved arduous since every book had to remain in the proper alphabetical order, as well as remaining organized in the correct genre. 

“We had to move a lot of books to allow for the installation of the new carpet.  Every book from the three long, low shelves had to be removed.  We also had to remove all of the books on display,” NASH librarian assistant Mrs. Smith explained. “At the last minute, we discovered that we also had to remove every book from the bottom of every shelf in the library.”

The Friday before spring break, student volunteers from Library Club and National English Honors Society assisted the library in relocating the books. Both Mrs. Smith and Ms. Wienand were extremely appreciative of their efforts. 

“Luckily, we had a great group of students volunteer to assist us,” Smith said. “It would have taken so much longer without them and we’re grateful to them for taking the time to help!” 

Weinand added, “I am so grateful for all of the students who helped to move the books off of the shelves so that the carpet could be replaced, and for those who have helped re-shelve the books this week so that we had table space for classes.”

Although there was quite a bit of effort to prepare the library for the new carpet, it has brought the library a modernized look. The library has always been a place for students to study in a comfortable, quiet environment. The new carpet has simply added to the studious ambiance of the large room.

“The new carpet is lovely. The old one had definitely seen better days, but this one refreshes the whole space. Especially with the newer tables and chairs, it really ties the room together,” Wienand said.

When you get the chance, stop by and check out the library’s new look. Remember to check out a book and thank Ms. Wienand and Mrs. Smith for all of their hard work. Both of them keep the library in a clean, quiet, and comfortable condition for every senior high student.