Midwestern Monsoons: A Story of Maverick Spirit

Omaha is no stranger to sudden, powerful storms. We need not look far into the past to remember the dangers of a sudden deluge: washed out roads, collapsing bridges, and neighborhoods that can all-too-quickly become an island with little to no warning.

While the recent severe storm on Sunday, June 5, may not have washed out roads, it required the same level of urgent action on the UNO campus: Water came quick, and because of recent construction along the west side of the Criss Library, mud and water pooled and found its way into the library’s basement. It flowed beneath the loading dock doors leading into the mail room, and down into the lower levels of the library, where several collections of books and the library’s microfilm collection were being kept. Marc Gordon and Ty Williams, members of library’s building services team, did everything in their power to keep the water at bay, but as the water flowed into the lower levels faster and faster, and threatened irreplaceable documents, they realized that they would need help to stem the tide.

When we speak about Maverick Spirit and serving our community, images of UNO’s impact across the city of Omaha may spring to mind; however, that spirit of service is just as vital in supporting each other right here on campus. Being a Maverick means being present and being the solution to challenges in the moment – both the expected and unexpected. And in this moment, down in the library’s lower levels in the middle of a storm, when Gordon and Williams reached out for help, they received a response exemplifying our Maverick Spirit.

Thanks to quick coordination, responders from UNO’s Environmental Services team, along with two UNO Public Safety officers on duty, got to work hauling boxes full of books out of harm’s way. Library Dean David Richards recounts, “The boxes were heavy and, in many cases, soaked through, and they moved a hundred or so, around a thousand books! Because of their efforts, only about 50 books were damp, and no books were destroyed. Everyone who showed up that night was amazing, and I could not be prouder of our UNO community.”

These everyday Maverick heroes included:

Environmental Services

• Kraig McDonald
• Amber Brown
• A.J. Calsadillas
• Don Britton
• Tina Christensen
• Stephen Osthoff
• Tyler Tilmon
• Mark Wingate
• Jody Johnson

UNO Public Safety

• Nate Evans
• Sapphira Waddell

In only a few hours, these Maverick staff were able to do the crucial work of separating wet books from dry and begin the tasks of keeping these materials from being damaged further. Many stayed through the night to ensure there were no further leaks as the storm continued and began the process of removing the more than 450 gallons of water and 195 gallons of mud that spread through the library’s lower level. Meanwhile, the humidity was monitored to keep artifacts and materials from becoming irreparably damaged.

Moments like this truly show what it means to live the Maverick Mission, and these moments happen across the campus every day.