Disaster Management In Archives Libraries And Museums

This important book assesses the current state of disaster management in archives, libraries and museums in the UK and around the world, and provides recommendations for addressing current and future threats. Following an introductory outline of the topic and terminology, the authors provide a short history of the development of disaster management in the cultural heritage sector. They illustrate a basic framework for effective disaster management by reviewing disaster control plan practice from around the world. Through examining and identify the key issues affecting disaster management in archives, libraries and museums, the authors discuss a priority structure for future implementation. This book will be key reading for scholars and students of archive studies, library and information and museum management. It will also be extremely useful for professionals and policy makers involved in disaster management planning at a local and national level.

Disaster planning might not seem a pressing concern - until disaster strikes. Recent events have reminded us that any collection or service may be at risk, and libraries and archives must have prevention and recovery measures in place. Written by academics and practitioners, drawing on firsthand experience and research worldwide, including Australia, Scandinavia and the USA, Disaster Management for Libraries and Archives reviews and explains the importance and scope of disaster management planning, and what can be done before, during and after incidents. The book begins by explaining how to develop a disaster control plan, outlining the different phases from prevention to recovery, and goes on to provide guidance on risk assessment and management methods which should underpin disaster planning. Individual chapters then focus on fire and flooding, bringing together lessons learned from recent disasters in the UK with case study material including information on prevention systems and reaction and recovery measures. A chapter on cooperative projects in the USA follows, providing examples of how collaborative partnerships and networks can be organized so that help, expertise and resources can be shared to facilitate management of disasters. The effect on people, both employees and users, must never be overlooked; this is the emphasis of the second half of the book. Research on the impact of a major library fire in Sweden forms the basis of the next chapter, which explains how the psychological impact of disasters on both staff and the local community can be managed. The following chapter describes the devastating effects on cultural institutions and their staff of war in Croatia in the early 1990s and extraordinary achievements against the odds. Ways of maintaining immediate, temporary service continuity along with planning for long-term restoration of services are exemplified by a case study of the fire at the Central Library of Norwich. Disaster Management for Libraries and Archives offers advice and insight for managers beginning to work on or reviewing disaster management within their organizations. The accounts of actual events highlight the real-life challenges faced and the effectiveness of appropriate solutions, while the guide to information sources at the end of the book signposts readers to a wealth of other useful material.

Fire, flood, earthquake, vandalism, a terrorist attack--the issues of safety measures, emergency response, and disaster recovery have now become an important part of the planning strategies for most organizations. For the information organization, such as a library, archives, or record center, this responsibility has taken on new dimensions with the proliferation of various forms of electronic media. The authors take the approach that disaster recovery planning must touch every department of an organization and that emergency response must be a carefully mapped strategy. This broad-based approach to "integrated disaster planning" explains each phase of disaster planning, with chapters covering prevention planning, protection planning, preparedness planning, response planning, and recovery planning. The authors consider collections, records, facilities, and systems and include a chapter on post-disaster planning as well. The authors also cover federal and local assistance programs and list other sources for financial assistance. Although the main thrust of the book is the protection of documents, human safety in case of disaster is stressed explicitly and implicitly throughout. Indispensible for every information organization.

Floods, fires or earthquakes can cause critical damage to books and to records. A recovery effort which is well-intentioned but ill-informed or hasty may make the damage far worse. What should be done? What should not be done? This is the first book on disaster recovery specifically tailored for the Australasian market. The book discusses factors which should be considered by managers before setting up a disaster recovery plan, including prevention and insurance. It covers, in detail, the content and development of a disaster plan and considers training programs for those staff who are involved. There is an account of the history of disaster recovery with special attention given to disasters occurring in Australia and New Zealand and to the recovery efforts which have been mounted.

Are you prepared? Whether you work with a special collection in a local archive or museum, in a large national library or managing records for a healthcare agency, an emergency plan is critical to your organisation’s future. Dadson draws on a decade of experience and award-winning training in this essential practical toolkit, enabling you to respond quickly and effectively to flood, fire and other emergencies. Expert advice is interwoven with cross-sectoral and international case studies drawn from high profile and smaller and medium-sized organisations offering a breadth of relevant experience and advice. Regardless of your time or cost constraints this text will outline exactly how to minimise risk, tackle real emergencies and ensure business continuity. Each chapter guides you through the essentials including: • an introduction to emergency planning in the information and heritage sectors • getting started on your plan • alarm raising and incident containment • the recovery operation • salvaging collections • critical documents such as priority lists, floorplans and disaster kits • business continuity and IT recovery • ensuring the plan’s efficacy • risk management and disaster prevention. Readership: This is the ultimate resource for all those who work with collections in libraries, archives, museums and historic houses internationally, whether large or small. It’s also an invaluable tool for records managers in companies, local authorities and healthcare agencies. Lastly it offers a concise introduction to emergency planning and response for international library and information students.

Whether you work with a special collection in a local archive or museum, in a large national library or managing records for a healthcare agency, an emergency plan is critical to your organization's future. An emergency plan is a document which describes the procedures devised to prevent and prepare for disasters, and those proposed to respond to and recover from disasters when they occur. The responsibility for performing these tasks is allocated to various staff members who comprise 'the disaster team'. Disaster planning might not seem a pressing concern - until disaster strikes. A comprehensive disaster plan consists of several independent but interrelated smaller plans. Every disaster has three phases: before, during and after. A variety of plans is required to cope with each of these phases. In the 'before phase', which corresponds to everyday routine operations, two types of plan should be in operation: preventive and preparedness. Preventive plans recommend actions that will prevent most disasters. They include recommendations such as the repair of leaking roofs, the improvement of maintenance and the upgrading of security. Preparedness plans are designed to ensure that identified disasters can be managed. They recommend actions such as the identification of important items in the collection, the purchase of plastic sheeting, the provision of freezing facilities and the training of staff to enable them to respond to a variety of disasters. In the 'during phase' a response to the disaster must be made. The effectiveness of the response is governed by the thoroughness of the preparedness plan. Recent events have reminded us that any collection or service may be at risk, and libraries and archives must have prevention and recovery measures in place. The accounts of actual events highlight the real-life challenges faced and the effectiveness of appropriate solutions. The book Emergency Planning and Response for Libraries, Archives and Museums is a valuable tool for all those who work with collections in libraries, archives, museums and historic houses internationally, whether large or small. It will be of invaluable tool for records managers in companies, local authorities and healthcare agencies.

This is a guide for librarians who need to make an immediate response to a disaster or to formulate a plan and take preventive measures. The more common disasters of fires, storms, floods, construction accidents, power failures, and earthquakes which cause water damage, fire damage, or biopredation are the main consideration here. The manual discusses disaster prevention, from evaluating and upgrading the physical plant to assessment of collections, emphasizing storage. A step-by-step outline of what to include in a disaster plan covers personnel training, the availability of outside expertise and a checklist of sources and suppplies. The final chapters focus on disaster recovery and beyond, including insurance, treatment of damaged materials in various formats, and a discussion of new building ideas from a disaster prevention/recovery perspective.