INF 392G - Management of
Preservation Programs
Fall 2006
Class 9
Disaster Planning and Preparedness
Disaster Planning
Prevention
Know Your Risks:
Geographical, Climatic
and Human-made Issues
 Is your locale susceptible to hurricanes,
tornadoes, flash flooding, earthquakes, forest
fires, or volcanic eruptions?
 Do you experience power outages, sprinkler
discharges, fuel or water supply failures,
chemical spills, arson, bomb threats?
 Are there environmental risks surrounding your
building (chemical industries, shipping routes for
hazardous materials, adjacent construction
projects)?
Know Your Risks:
The Building Exterior
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Is your building located on a slope?
Is the basement above flood level?
Are there large trees near your building?
Are utility and flag poles secure?
Is the roof flat?
 Does water accumulate?
 Do gutters and drains work properly? Are they cleaned
regularly?
 Are windows and skylights sealed?
 Is there a history of leaks or other building and structural
problems?
Know Your Risks:
Inside the Building
 Do you have enough fire extinguishers and are they
regularly inspected?
 Does your building have fire detectors and a firesuppression system?
 Are they well-maintained?
 Are they monitored 24 hours a day?
 Are fire exits clear?
 How old is the wiring?
 Is it overloaded?
 Are electrical appliances unplugged at night?
Know Your Risks:
Inside the Building
Is auxiliary power available if needed?
Are water pipes in good condition?
Are there water detectors and do they
work?
Are there problems with the airconditioning and heating system(s)?
Decreasing Your Risks
Once you specify your institution’s
hazards, you can devise a program with
concrete goals, identifiable resources, and
a schedule of activities for eliminating as
many risks as possible. Doing this will
eliminate MANY emergency situations.
Decreasing Your Risks
 A regular program of building inspection and
maintenance should be a high priority.
 Improve collection storage when possible.
AVOID storing materials on the floor!
 Security and housekeeping procedures will ward of
emergencies such as theft, vandalism and insect
infestation.
Creating a Disaster Plan
 The plan must be easy to follow.
 Planning should be integrated into your institution’s
routine operating procedures.
 Decide who will be responsible for various activities
when responding to an emergency.
 Who will be the main decision-maker?
 Who will interact with fire officials, police or civil defense
authorities?
 Who will serve as back-up if any of your team members are
unable to get to the site of your records?
 If possible, determine where in your space(s) you can
dry wet collections.
Creating a Disaster Plan
MAINLY, don’t get overwhelmed by
disaster planning. Approach it in stages,
targeting your planning for the type of
disaster that your institution’s collections
are most likely to face.
Identifying Resources
Identify sources of assistance in a
disaster.
Determine the supplies you will need for
disaster response and salvage efforts for
your specific records.
Basic supplies like polyethylene
dropcloths, sponges, flashlights, and
rubber gloves should be purchased and
kept on hand.
Identifying Resources
Identify all appropriate disaster-response
and recovery services.
Police
Fire
Ambulance
Insurance Adjusters
Utility Companies
Identifying Resources
Know which companies can provide
disaster services.
Dehumidification
Vacuum freeze drying. Invite local service
providers to visit your institution in advance of
an emergency.
Consider coordinating with local libraries
and archives for services and mutual aid.
Setting Priorities
Human safety is always the first priority.
Which records and equipment are crucial
to the operation of the institution, such as
administrative files (paper, audiovisual,
computer files)?
Which collections are priority?
Setting Priorities
 Set priorities based on value but also on the
vulnerability of records to the particular damage
caused by the disaster.
Paper and textiles are susceptible to mold when they
are warm and damp.
Metals will corrode rapidly under the same conditions.
Salt may accelerate this damage.
Veneers and furniture may be constructed with watersoluble adhesives.
Objects may become brittle after exposure to the
temperatures of a fire.
University of Illinois - Bloomington:
Disaster Response Plans: Main Library
 http://www.indiana.edu/%7Elibpres/disaster/baseplan.html
The Florence Flood
 http://data.scl.utah.edu/fmi/xsl/stream/details.xsl?-recid=354&a::v=24499O979y