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38 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, March 6, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 14, 2005 The doors to the children�s section of the Jackson County Library�s main branch in downtown Medford were closed Thursday because of mold discovered in a wiring duct below the floor. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Library has mold Medford’s new main library had to shut down the children’s section when workers became sick amid a musty smell By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune A hidden mold colony has forced the closure of the children’s section of the new Medford Library for about a week after employees complained about headaches, sore throats and a musty smell. Ronnie Budge, Jackson County Library director, said the employees have recovered and no parents or children reported any problems. "It was closed yesterday after some of our employees had headaches and sore throats," said Budge Thursday morning. "Our staff thought they smelled mold or mildew." The odor was strongest near the librarian’s desk in the middle of the children’s area. After some investigating by maintenance crews, the culprit appeared to be a piece of wood underneath a circular panel on the floor that provides access to a duct used for cables, said Budge. "We lifted off the cover and there was a piece of wood that seemed to be discolored, so we sent it to a lab," she said. Advertisement Budge said the discoloration turned out to be aspergillus, a common type of mold that grows on porous surfaces in the northern hemisphere during the fall and winter months. She said most people aren’t allergic to the mold, although it could irritate those who have asthma or other lung problems. To rule out any other sources of mold, Budge said more tests will be conducted on the room next week before it is reopened to the public. County officials didn’t know how much the various tests would cost; a similar test at the Ashland library several years ago cost $1,500. The wooden brace under the access panel will be replaced with something made of metal, said Budge. She said the moisture buildup didn’t appear to be related to any construction problems. The library opened in April. The moisture appeared to be the result of condensation because the temperature in the wiring duct area is much colder than the warm temperature of the library above. Patt Colwell, children’s librarian, said staff members first detected a musty smell almost two weeks ago. Since the wooden piece was removed, Colwell said the smell "doesn’t seem as strong as it did before. It has dissipated." A faint musty odor was still discernible when Budge and the Mail Tribune ventured into the children’s section Thursday morning, although Budge said old books sometimes can give off a slight odor. Colwell said the problem didn’t appear to pose a significant health threat. "I doubt if it is anything terribly toxic," she said. "But we had to make sure." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress Advertisement s