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The article reports on the importance of assessment of major terrorist attacks and other emergencies resulting in structural damage before entering the premises. The accurate assessment of the stability of damaged structures requires the skill, experience, training and knowledge of a certified structural engineer. He has to perform a risk analysis and to make certain calculations about the weight of material. He has to know how the loads have been redistributed after the event.

Reports that some small-town libraries in Missouri and Tennessee suffered damage from tornadoes that occurred on May 4th and 5th, 2003. Extensive damage to the Cedar County Library in Stockton, Missouri; Damage to the Pierce City, Missouri library; Effects of the tornadoes on the Tennessee State Library and the Lexington Public Library.

Examines an assessment of the damages brought about by Hurricane Andrew. Structural intactness of buildings that complied with the South Florida Building Code; Systematic failure of assemblies; System of enforcement; Permission of architects to seal drawings; Planning to avert storm disasters.

Reports that tornadoes in March 1998 destroyed public and school libraries in the Minnesota communities of Comfrey and St. Peter. A report from John Christenson about the damage suffered by the St. Peter Library; How rebuilding efforts will be financed; Contact for a disaster relief fund set up by the Minnesota Library Association Foundation.

The article offers a brief review of the exhibition "Designing for Disaster," on view at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. from May 11, 2014 until August 2, 2015.

A news brief is presented which details the effects of the fall 2012 tropical storm named Hurricane Sandy on libraries in New York and New Jersey. The article notes that while libraries in Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx, New York, were not subject to significant structural damage, they did sustain power loss, and libraries in Queens and Long Island, New York, as well as across the state of New Jersey, faced serious damage.

The article looks at how the first public library funded by Andrew Carnegie remains closed after a bolt of lightning struck and demolished the building's granite clock tower. The Allegheny Regional branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh was closed at the time. According to library spokesperson Suzanne Thinnes, a large piece of the tower crashed through the roof into the boiler room and destroyed the library's HVAC systems.

The article reports on the enactment of the International Building Code (IBC) in Louisiana in 2006. The 11 parishes that were damaged by the storms had 30 days to start applying the code. According to industry experts, the adoption of the code will increase insurance payouts and repair costs. Ronnie Kyle, president of the Louisiana Homebuilders Association, comments on the impact of the IBC on parishers without existing code.

This article reports on the condition of Florida libraries following the merciless hurricane season of 2004. Florida's public libraries and librarians fortunately survived the latest round of hurricanes that battered the state. Florida State Librarian Judy Ring said that libraries overall are "doing pretty good." Despite taking big hits, all libraries were still standing, Ring said, although there was scattered damage. Some libraries faced flooding in the wake of Hurricane Ivan, as rivers and waterways were swollen to overflowing. Ring said that libraries "assumed many roles" during the crisis, including serving as day care centers for the children of county employees involved in cleanup and rescue efforts.

The article announces that the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is offering the Inspire Disaster Recovery Grant which is designed to support public, middle, and high school libraries that have been damaged as a result of natural disasters, fires, or acts of terrorism.

The article discusses the 2011 World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Barcelona, Spain, including the receipt of the World Building of the Year award by the Media-TIC building in Barcelona, the seminar programme "Making a Difference, Responding the Disaster," and speakers such as architect David Mackay.

This article discusses the damage brought by the 2011 Canterbury earthquake in New Zealand to buildings and other structures. According to engineers, modern buildings in Christchurch performed better than expected during the quake. Older unreinforced-masonry buildings were vulnerable from the quake. Gregory A. MacRae, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, does not recommend changes in the building codes.

The article provides information on Structural Building Components Research Institute of the Wood Truss Council of America (WTCA) in Madison, Wisconsin. It states that SBCRI replicates real-world behavior of construction products and systems, generating data unattainable with other test methods in other facilities. It discusses the electrohydraulic system for large-scale structures and actuators. It notes that several electrohydraulic actuators stimulate the effects of natural disasters.

This article focuses on the impact of hurricane Katrina on the restaurant business in New Orleans, Louisiana. Food writer Kim Severson of the New York Times inspected the conditions of the most famous restaurants in the legendary food town. She examined the structural damage at some of the restaurants in the city. Severson wrote that in the Garden District, Commander's Palace looked forlorn, its windows still covered in hurricane plywood. The smells that made New Orleans a food destination had been replaced by the stench of liquefying pigs' heads and other spoilage.

This article calls for support for library and information communities that have been affected by the 2004 Asian tsunami. In Sri Lanka, a firsthand report by Russell Bowden, honorary fellow of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, and investigations by the Sri Lankan National Library have identified 177 school libraries, 53 public libraries, and 68 religious institution libraries as having been destroyed or damaged. In Indonesia, the director of the National Library led a team of staff in a survey of damage in the province of Aceh. They found the Aceh Provincial Library in Banda Aceh severely damaged, with the first floor wiped out by floods, the second floor ransacked by looters, and the mobile library units either crushed or washed away. The team also visited the Center for Documentation and Information of Aceh, which once held rare historical collections but now has nothing except for three books that were discovered in its debris. These were taken to Jakarta for restoration.

Reports on the closing of one branch of the Houston Public Library, which was damaged by Tropical Storm Allison. Details of the storm and the damage it caused; Flood damages to other Houston libraries.

The author discusses issues related to the risk of roof collapses and the sufficiency of U.S. building codes for the extreme storms caused by climate change. He calls on engineers, contractors, and architects to consider unusual snow loads when revising their ongoing risk management procedures. He also suggests several best practices to avoid claims and put firms in the best position to defend themselves against legal claims.

The article reports that MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. lowered its revenue guidance on the delay of raw material deliveries from its suppliers due to the effects of Hurricane Ike in Texas. According to Nabeel Gareeb, MEM's chief executive officer, they were able to start up successfully their Pasadena facility in preparation for production on September 14, 2008. However, he mentioned that some of their regional suppliers had startup difficulties due to power availability, and plant issues.

Reports on the impact of Hurricanes Charles and Frances on the environment, industry and science facilities in Florida. Estimated amount of insurance claims from Frances; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's waiving of some Clean Air Act requirements n gasoline in order to quickly get supplies into affected areas; Worth of damage wreaked by Hurricane Charley at the Kennedy Space Center of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

This article presents information, related to construction engineering. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee is expected to begin drafting legislation this month to create a multi-agency National Windstorm Hazard Reduction Program. It would be modeled after the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. The bill authorizes funds to study ways to curb tornado and hurricane damage to buildings and other structures. Environmental groups are appealing a court ruling that upheld the U.S. Corps of Engineers plans for managing the Missouri River flow. Judge Paul Magnuson of U.S. District Court in Minnesota on June 21 said the Corps' Master Water Quality Manual and 2004 river operating plan are valid.

Highlights flood damages to West Virginia libraries in July 2001. Impact of the flooding, including smashed homes and businesses which left people homeless; Destruction in the town of Kimball, including the McDowell Public Library; Details of damaged libraries.

Reports that libraries and their collections fell victim to torrential rains that hit several states in the United States in July 1996. The most extensive damage occurring in eastern Pennsylavania; Comments from Librarian Carrie Kopas; Estimated cost to replace the collection; Chicago suburb of Aurora as also being hit by a storm.

Focuses on how libraries can prepare for natural disasters. Protection against irreplaceable items; Prioritizing of which collections get attention first; Preparation of the staff and patrons.