Book Description

Most librarians know the importance of disaster preparedness. Many disasters could have been prevented altogether or have had reduced impact if institutions had been better prepared. This resource guide suggests how disaster preparedness can be achieved at cultural institutions. Twenty-three basic resource articles are presented to introduce disaster preparedness. They deal with the safety of collections rather than the safety of staff, and related issues such as security and environmental control are not addressed. Of the materials that cover what to do once a disaster has occurred, most emphasize water damage because so many causes of disaster result in water damage. The resource guide is supplemented by a list of 23 selected readings. When a choice had to be made between a readily available source and one that was difficult to obtain, the hard-to-obtain one was included in the resource guide, and a reference to the other was provided in the bibliography. The basic processes for disaster preparedness include: (1) brainstorming potential disasters; (2) investigating responses to past disasters; (3) outlining a disaster plan; (4) determining remaining needs; and (5) developing recommendations. (SLD)