Salvaged Books Returning Home

The saga that began two years ago for 700,000 books is nearing an end. The volumes were water-damaged when two arson fires ravaged the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles in 1986.

The first step of the $2.8-million restoration process was to freeze them to arrest the development of mold and mildew. The second step was what the library has labeled as the largest book-drying project ever. That step began Thursday when some of the books were moved from freezers to Document Reprocessors in Saugus where the books were placed in drying chambers.

The process included reducing the pressure within the chambers to below the equivalent of 115,000-foot altitude and maintaining the temperature for a sublimation condition for the frozen water vapor. Through a series of special pumps and other equipment, about 250,000 pounds of water will be extracted from the books processed

The Central Library received its first shipment of dried books Thursday at its temporary site, 433 S. Spring St. The books will be cleaned, evaluated and inventoried and eventually end their return trip when they rejoin the rest of the library’s collection.