Southeast Regional Library in Garner has sat closed to the public since Oct. 6, with Wake County pointing to an ongoing roof replacement project as the reason. But library workers describe a different chain of events: days of noxious fumes, headaches, dizziness and burning eyes that they say began building eight days before anyone shut the doors.
Roof replacement work was planned at the branch. By Sept. 28, workers had begun noticing fumes and feeling ill, and they say the problem only intensified from there. The union representing library staff, UE Local 150, says workers reported the fumes and their symptoms to county administrators three days in a row — Sept. 28, 29 and 30 — before the branch was ever evacuated.
Workers Say County Dismissed Their Concerns
According to the union, county administrators assured staff during those early reports that nothing toxic or hazardous was being used in the roofing work. The News & Observer reports that Wake County officials said the fumes were not toxic, a characterization library workers pushed back on as symptoms continued.
Workers were expected to work around the compound 20–40 hours a week during the six-week project, according to the union. Workers reported headaches and other symptoms.
A Chaotic Week Before the Closure
The response from county staff in the days that followed was inconsistent, according to worker accounts relayed to the News & Observer. Workers said dust and debris were visible beneath indoor vents on Sept. 29. Wake County community services director Kate Maroney has said staff could not immediately determine the source of the fumes and that a GSA employee adjusted air-handling equipment on Sept. 28 to try to help.
Matters came to a head on Oct. 1, when library workers made the call to evacuate the building as families began arriving for Toddler Storytime, according to UE Local 150. The library closed for the rest of the day, and three children's programs and one adult program were cancelled as a result. County staff placed large industrial fans inside that same day, workers said. The branch reopened at noon on Oct. 2. The library closed early, at 1:30 p.m., on Oct. 3, and stayed shut all day on Oct. 4.
County Authorizes a Four-Week Closure
By Oct. 5, Wake County officials had authorized a four-week closure of the branch for the remainder of the roof replacement project. Roof construction had been scheduled to wrap up by Oct. 23, according to worker accounts. The union says the public-facing closure that began Oct. 6 wiped out more than 50 planned programs and services altogether — a sharp escalation from the single day of cancellations on Oct. 1.
UE Local 150's statement draws a pointed contrast between the county's public messaging and what workers say actually happened: the county has publicly cited odors and ongoing conditions, the union says, rather than acknowledging the health concerns that workers raised for days beforehand.
What the Union Says Was Used on the Roof
The union identified Sarnacol AD Adhesive as a compound used onsite. According to UE Local 150, the manufacturer's warnings state the product is harmful if inhaled and may cause respiratory irritation, and recommend outdoor use or a well-ventilated area. The union's statement notes that workers reported headaches and that prolonged or repeated inhalation may cause organ damage.
Federal workplace-safety guidance discusses indoor-air complaints and notes formaldehyde off-gassing from glues and adhesives as a potential contaminant. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also discusses ventilation in relation to indoor air quality.
Sick Leave and the Road to Reopening
The union has asked Wake County to reinstate personal sick leave used by employees during the period when fumes and illness were being reported, after workers said they'd had to burn their own sick days.
Southeast Regional Library, which normally operates Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., is currently listed by the county's library system as closed until Monday, Nov. 2.
