New reports show mold was present in the Norman Public Library Central building long before its opening to the public.
According to documents acquired by KFOR, architects found mold in the building over a year prior to the library's opening in 2019. An architect’s field report from September 2018 shows drywall displaying signs of mold throughout the second and third floor of the building.
The report also states that due to high moisture in the air and mold spores present, there was a high probability that mold could return even after it was removed during construction in 2018.
Tiffany Vrska, Norman’s chief communications officer, wrote in an email to OU Daily that the city was not aware of the mold found in 2018 because the building was still an active construction site.
“The City of Norman did not have possession of the building in 2018 yet because it was an active construction site with the contractor being responsible for the construction site,” Vrska wrote. “All issues cited in field reports during construction were communicated to the City to have been taken care of by contractors.”
In November, Norman hired Cavins Group to investigate water leak issues from Norman Public Library Central’s roof. Cavins Group discovered traces of mold, including black mold and fusarium, on each level of the facility.
Later that month, Pioneer Library System Executive Director Lisa Wells said the Norman Public Library Central would be closed for five months while Cavins Group serviced the facility. She added all 64 of the library’s employees would be relocated to 11 other Pioneer Library System locations.
In April, the city of Norman announced the library would close indefinitely due to extensive and severe damage from rainfall and preexisting mold.
In early September, Cavins Disaster Response Group conducted a mold inspection and found Paecilomyces spores in the building. Paecilomyces is a pathogen that can cause severe human infections. The group recommended a professional mold remediation company to address the mold growth.
The issue is expected to be discussed during executive session for the upcoming Norman City Council special meeting on Tuesday.
This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure, Ana Barboza and Ismael Lele. Ryan Little and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story
