Staff Members at University Libraries are putting together a quilt that will allow them to put the turbulent feelings they have about the fire in the basement of Zimmerman Library last year into a work of art. About 30 staff members are involved so far. The quilt will include images of books designed and created by staff members, flame images and will have actual photographs of the aftermath of the fire printed onto part of the fabric borders.
The corner blocks will commemorate the subject areas with the greatest losses - African-American Studies, Asian Studies, Pre-Columbian History, and Native American Studies.
The fire, which damaged many shelves of journals in the basement of Zimmerman, dislocated more than 100 staff members. Many were given temporary space in other UNM Libraries, while waiting for their offices to be cleaned and repaired. Some are still waiting for office space in the rebuilt basement.
Construction is underway now in the Zimmerman basement, which is scheduled to reopen to students in time for the spring 2008 semester. Project organizer Raelynn Richardson says they hope to have the completed quilt ready in time for the reopening.
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; e-mail: kwent2@unm.edu