After the east coast was done feeling the wrath of Hurricane Irene this weekend, it was clear that a lot of structural damage was sustained and we all wondered if anything was actually lost and unsalvageable. One of those places was the Center of Cartoon Studies, but more specifically, the Schulz Library, named after Charles Schulz. The library is located in Vermont, close to the White River, which saw a lot of flooding in addition to the torrential rain and wind. The rivier itself wasn’t expected to crest until this morning. Many were worried about what could have been lost, and there’s good and bad news: nothing was lost, but the library itself did sustain serious damage.
Several volunteers worked until the wee hours of this morning to rescue as many books as they could — including several rare Peanuts books — from potential water damage, but worried that the building itself would end up beyond repair. The old firehouse that houses the CCS’s collection has prompted volunteers to continue evacuating the books and other materials. Says CCS Director James Sturm:
“Probably won’t be able to move back into that wonderful space (the old firehouse). The Schulz Library shares the building with The Main Street Museum, a one-of-a-kind place. It would be awful if that amazing institution went under.”
But not one book was lost, and that is the very good news. To say nothing of the efforts of the volunteers who worked through a hurricane to save everything. We’ll keep everyone posted on any potential fundraisers and news, but you can visit the Center for Cartoon Studies for more information.
