What happens when a fire destroys a library?

When the Georgia Public Library Service's NEWS for June came and I picked up my copy, the first thing that caught my eye was the heading "Fire destroys library in Twiggs County," along with two pictures of the smoldering remains. One caption stated: "Only a few file cabinets could be saved from the damaged building."
WOW! More than 15,000 books, along with a valuable trove of Twiggs County historical documents, were lost in the April 25th blaze. Investigators blamed the blaze on a direct lightning strike from the storm that blew through the county around four o'clock that morning.
Can you imagine? A 4,000-square-foot facility was virtually wiped out.
The director said the library hoped to reopen in a temporary facility in June. He said a 1,200-square-foot office space appeared to be the most likely location. A basic reference collection, children's books from the local bookmobile's collection, and current bestsellers and computers on loan from a local college would round out the library.
Can you imagine what it would be like if the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library had a major fire? Can you imagine what it would be like to be left with a "few file
cabinets"?
In the same building, housed with our public library, is the Ellen Payne Odom Genealogical Library. Both libraries comprise a total of 30,000-square-feet.
The public library houses almost 150,000 books and items, which include over 1,200 videos and DVDs, as well as 20 computers for public use (and those we're not counting for the staff).
The Odom Library contains the Emmett Lucas Collection relevant to the eastern seaboard of the USA. It also houses a vast collection of Scottish material unique in the world, because the library is archival and the genealogical home to more than 120 Scottish Clan organizations. It also has cabinets full of microfische, maps, other historical documents, and five public computers.
Of course, if the entire building was destroyed, the library system would still have the Doerun Municipal Library and the collection of books in the Bookmobile to fall
back on.
As for a permanent facility, the Twiggs County Library board chair said that all options were being considered for rebuilding or using an existing building.
What would we do here? What would we do without our libraries?
The thought leaves me dumbfounded!
How much would it concern you? How much do you use the libraries? How far away would you have to travel to use another library?
Sometimes we don't realize what we have until it's gone.