The night of October 30, 2004, reshaped the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library forever. A flash flood rushed through the UH Mānoa campus causing extensive damage to Hamilton Library
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 2004 Hamilton Library flood, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library has planned the following events:
- Exhibit: An exhibit, titled “Finding the Silver Lining of the Mānoa Flood”, will be on display in the Bridge Gallery and Moir Reading Room at Hamilton Library from October 20, 2014 to April 30, 2015. The exhibit tells the story of how maps were rescued after the flood and explains how maps damaged by flood waters and silt were recovered. It features before and after displays of flood-damaged maps and rare maps after conservation treatment. The exhibit also highlights the expertise that the library developed in disaster management and recovery as a result of the flood and explores its expanded capacity in conservation treatment
- Commemorative booklet: Library faculty and staff members have assembled a commemorative booklet, Five Minutes to 8, filled with reminiscences about the flood, photographs of flood recovery activities, and a timeline of significant events after the flood and during the recovery period.
History of the flood
At five minutes before 8 p.m., a flash flood overflowed the banks of Mānoa Stream and rushed through the campus, causing damage to 32 buildings. The worst damage by far was at Hamilton Library, where water that was six to eight feet deep toppled bookshelves, overturned furniture and broke through walls. All told, the flood damaged or destroyed millions of books, maps, aerial photographs and government documents on the ground floor in addition to the computer server room and the Library and Information Science Program. Fortunately, no one was injured during the catastrophe.
In the wake of the devastation came an enormous outpouring of support. Volunteers from the campus and community joined library staff and students to retrieve and clean damaged items from the ground floor. Donations of everything from food and water for volunteers to replacement books and maps poured in from businesses across the state and libraries around the nation.
