ADDITIONS-Continued Personnel compensation-Continued Within-grade promotions and other changes authorized by the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, for employees compensated under that act Regular pay above 52-week base allotment increased by $1,400 to cover Increased pay costs due to Public Law 87-793, approved Oct. 11, 1962, This increase is requested to cover the maintenance of additional equip- The increase consists of a nonrecurring item of $10,000 for necessary repairs and improvements to the hydraulic sidewalk lift in the parking area, east side, main building. Now nearly 30 years old, this lift is in need of a major overhauling and of the replacement of the hydraulic mechanism, which leaks, causing the lift to slip when in the stationery up position. Its present condition is hazardous. Annual care of grounds increased from $2,000 to $2,800- This increase for annual routine maintenance of the 52 acres of grounds is requested in order to offset price increases for materials and repair parts, to obtain a more adequate supply of materials used, and to provide funds for the replacement of a number of plants which have been lost due to drought, damage, and old age. There has been no increase in this allotment since 1960. Installation of floor tile, both buildings: This item is requested to install 310 1,400 485 2,500 10.000 800 36, 300 20,000 21, 000 8, 400 6,500 265, 000 3,500 Replacement of wooden plan file cases with steel cases, annex: 36 5-drawer plan Lighting improvements, main reading room, main building: This item is re- The water piping systems, the sanitary piping systems, the storm drain- These systems are now badly deteriorated, obsolete, and inadequate, and in some respects contrary to current requirements of the District's Public Health Service. They have exceeded their normal lifespan by many years. The useful life span generally accepted by experts for cast iron piping is 60 years, steel 4,700 8, 000 80,000 55,000 36, 300 2, 225, 000 The water supply of the main Library building, as in the case of many other buildings, although wholly adequate when the building and piping were new, has become inadequate after 66 years of use. Gradual reduction in the capacity of the water-distribution systems has resulted from increasing demands for service; from corrosion and roughening of the pipes: and a progressive decrease in pipe diameters due to the formation of aggregation of iron compounds with other substances known as tuberculation. Although cast iron resists water corrosion better than wrought iron or steel, it is about equally susceptible to tuberculation. Nonferrous materials are now being used in good construction to avoid corrosion and tuberculation. Samples of piping taken at random from the Library installations disclose such a seriously advanced condition of deterioration as to indicate the approach of total impairment. Failure and emergency repairs are occurring with such frequency as to have necessitated recent detailed inspections of the existing systems. Such inspections have been made and disclose that about 80 percent of the pipes and fittings manufactured and installed in 1897 are still in use today despite their extraordinary age. Since 1897, about 20 percent of the original installations have been replaced to correct serious leaks and make emergency repairs. Such inspections also disclose that the existing water-distribution system, sanitary systems, and roof drainage systems are, after 66 years of service, in inconceivably poor physical condition, with imminent prospects for failure without warning, in part or as a whole, at any time in the not too distant future. Samples of the Library piping installations removed during the performance of recent emergency repairs disclose a grave state of deterioration and indicate that their retention in service is an ever-present threat to the continuous functioning of the Library, and a hazard to the book collections, decorative painting, and marble walls. Expenditures for repairs and other maintenance operations have reached the point of no return because the service life of these installations has already far exceeded their reasonable maximum life cycles. On July 31, 1961, water backed up extensively through the wash basins. Investigation disclosed that waste water was being forced out through the drains in the wash basins with sufficient pressure and velocity to drench the adjacent walls and ceiling and to collect in quantity on the floor. the same time, a pipe broke in the cellar. At On May 31, 1962, floods and leaks occurred during a heavy rainfall. Water backed up in the ladies' locker rooms, men's locker room, vending machine area adjacent to the cafeteria, and the area below the Coolidge Auditorium. This backing up of water was caused, largely, by water backing up in lavatories and sewer openings. At the same time, accumulations of water appeared in the spiral stairway in the northeast corner of the southwest pavilion, extending from the visitors' gallery to the first floor; also in the south bookstack. On June 2, 1962, there was a flash flood in the cellar. These are some examples of recent incidents at the Library, and confirm the gravity of the situation. The rain leaders are badly rusted internally. The thickness of the pipe walls has become greatly decreased and numerous crecks are evident. Several hubs and fittings are broken because no expansion joints were provided in the vertical leaders. Normal settling of the building and expansion due to temperature changes have caused these failures. Cracking and wet plaster have been observed in some parts of the building due to leaks in the roof drains. Rust and corrosion in many of the cast iron pipe joints have forced out the packing and lead. Overflow has occurred in the cellar and in the courtyard floor drains during heavy rainfall. The sanitary sewers are also in very poor condition, and in some cases are inadequately sized. Additional loads have, of necessity, been imposed on the sewer system from time to time to meet expanding needs, thereby aggravating conditions. Water entering into the floor drain in the area of new air-conditioning unit No. 1 caused flooding on two separate occasions in the new cafeteria shortly after its opening on March 4, 1963. Recent observations made in the manholes on the Library grounds have revealed that the terra cotta and cast iron piping is badly clogged by internal accumulations, and some of the pipes have been found filled with silt. Sections of pipe removed from the domestic hot- and cold-water-distribution systems show that as little as 15 percent of the original cross-sectional area is presently available for the flow of water and these pipes are worn thin and corroded at the threaded areas to an incredible degree. A recent leak in a hot-water line in the cellar caused damage to publications stored in that area. The water distribution system, consisting of 66-year-old galvanized steel pipe, is so badly rusted and corroded that about 75 percent of the interior walls of the pipe are clogged. In many sections, pitting has penetrated the pipe walls. Deterioration has now reached the point where very little strength remains in the piping walls. The system has to be constantly repaired, requiring 1 mechanic and 1 helper on the average of 1 day per week to keep the system in operation. This emergency repair work is increasing at a fast rate. The system is now in such an unsatisfactory physical condition that it is capable of serving only approximately 50 percent of the demand summer load of the building. There is every indication that within a very few years widespread failure and extensive water damage is likely to occur. Accumulations in the chilled water drinking lines have reached the point where they practically preclude the flow of water to the drinking fountains on the third floor. Replacement of city water, etc.-Continued On May 19, 1959, the District of Columbia amended its plumbing code to require that all new buildings be provided with 2 separate sewer systems, each independent of the other. The one is for the purpose of collecting all domestic and industrial wastes and conveying them to interceptors draining only to a sewer treatment plant, and the other is for the purpose of collecting storm water and discharging the same into the nearest water courses. The Library of Congress, like other buildings in the older section of Washington, comprising approximately half of the District, are still served by the old combined sewer system. In replacing the Library sewer system, it is proposed to provide 2 separate sewer systems as now required by the District Plumbing Code. The estimated cost of replacing the city water distribution system and sewer and drainage systems serving the main library building and grounds with new, modern, sanitary, safe and efficient systems is $2,225,000. It is urgently recommended that funds for this replacement be granted Fire extinguishers and fog nozzles for firehose, both buildings: This item con- Total------ Total estimate for 1964--‒‒‒ 18, 000 10,000 12,000 20, 000 2,300 +2,857, 500 3, 522, 000 Mr. STEED. We come now to page 87 of the committee print and page 182 of the justifications. This is an item for $3,522,000 as against $844,500 in 1963, an increase of $2,677,500. We are, of course, aware of the fact that the Library of Congress is the greatest institution of its kind in the world. and that the main building is 66 years old and no doubt some further repairs are called for. I think we can skip the mandatory items here and you can devote your comment to the other items of increase. FLOOR TILE Mr. STEWART. The first large item of increase is the installation of floor tile in both buildings. This item is requested to install new tile in the main reading room, main building, and in the Government Printing Office Printing Branch space, ground floor, annex. item is $36,300. That The next one of $20,000 is a continuation of repairs of the mosaic floor tile and marble floor tile in the main building. This is the eighth year for this allotment. CLEANING CEILING IN MAIN BUILDING The next item is to clean and restore the ceiling decorations in the main building. There are two areas covered by this request of $21,000. Mr. STEED. That is also to complete the work. Mr. STEWART. That is right, in one section and to continue it in another. ACOUSTICAL TILE-RARE BOOK READING ROOM The next item is acoustical tile treatment, second floor reading room, main building, $8,400. This is presently the Rare Book Reading Room. Readers complain of being irritated by noises from telephones, typewriters, and conversations in nearby staff workspace which, due to the architecture of the room, cannot be isolated from the reader space. Funds are requested for acoustical treatment of the Rare Book Reading Room to decrease the noise level. ROOF REPAIRS Next is roof repairs and replacements, main building at a cost of $6,500. We want to replace the slag roof on the Whittall Pavilion with a copper roof. It has been there for 25 years and needs replacement. This pavilion houses an extremely valuable collection of Stradivarius violins and Tourte bows. FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM Next is fire detection system, both buildings. This item is requested to permit the installation of a fire detection system in the bookstacks of both buildings for the protection of the Library's vast collections, many of them irreplaceable and invaluable. The system proposed is one which detects fires in the incipient stages of combustion and sets off an alarm immediately. This system has distinct advantages over other systems which are not activated until the later stages of a fire when enough heat and/or smoke are generated to set off an alarm. The detection system desired is already in use in numerous other libraries and museums throughout the country. That is a large item of $265,000. REPLACEMENT OF ELECTRIC TRAM Now the replacement of the electric tram in the main building. This tram, which is 15 years old, is used for transporting books and other library materials through the tunnel between the two buildings. Due to its age, it is now worn out and repair parts are difficult and slow to obtain (some parts are no longer available except through special and expensive manufacture). It is therefore desired to replace the tram with a new one at a cost of $3,500. |