Disaster Response and Planning for Libraries

Fire, water, mold, contruction problems, power outages-these unexpected mishaps can not only bring services to a grinding halt but can also destroy collections. How can you prepare for the unexpected? Offering quick and efficient protocols, disaster response expert Miriam Kahn comes to the rescue with a timely update of the best step-by-step, how to guide for preparing and responding to all types of library disasters. The completely revised edition is the most thorough guide to preventing or responding to problems big and small. With up-to-date information on prevention equipment and materials, it also provides the latest information on preparing for technology recovery. One new case study on post-9/11 recovery and one mold scenario give real-life examples of what can happen and what to do. Kahn has packed this book with 43 reproducible checklists and forms and a comprehensive list of resources. This is a one-stop instruction manual for writing a disaster plan that covers all the bases-response, recovery, prevention, and planning. Easy to read and for all types and all sizes of libraries, Disaster Response and Planning for Libraries is a loaded toolboz that will be ready should disaster strike. About The Miriam Kahn has specialized in preservation and disaster response since 1989. Her company, MBK Consulting, was founded in 1991 and provides preservation and disaster response services to all types of cultural institutions, corporations, and small to medium-sized businesses and disaster response companies. Kahn received her MLS from Queens College. CUNY and worked as preservation officer for the State Library of Ohio, coordinator for online services at the I.D. Weeks Library at the University of South Dakota, and reference librarians at New York Public Library-Mid Manhattan Branch. In addition to her consulting business, she teachers workshops and seminars for librarians and achiv

If your library doesn't already have a disaster plan, this book will give you enough adrenaline to start writing one. The author (Disaster Prevention and Response for Special Libraries, Professional Reading, LJ 5/1/95) is a specialist in preservation and disaster response, serving all types of cultural institutions, corporations, businesses, and disaster response companies. The unique presentation in this distinctive guide starts right off with a disaster. Kahn assumes that you may have an out-of-date plan or none at all. From the plan you move to recovery and a review of procedures used during the disaster in order to change and/or update your plan to reflect the actual steps followed during the disaster. Remaining chapters deal with prevention, planning, and response and recovery procedures. There are how-to-do-it instructions for materials in many formats, and case studies completing each chapter illustrate the information discussed. Dealing with computers and various storage formats is covered in detail, e.g., you may back up your hard drive every Friday onto tapes or discs, but do you store them off-site or keep them near your computer? CDs and CD-ROMs and what little is known about saving the information on this relatively new technology is discussed. Appendixes contain checklists, forms, and contacts. The excellent, current bibliography is arranged by format. Every library should buy a copy of this and keep it right next to the disaster plan. Invaluable.?Marie Bruni, Huntington Memorial Lib., Oneonta, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.