Preserving the Collection: Disaster Planning, Response & Recovery

Books are among the first items that should be assessed when you have a flooding incident. This useful video from the Galveston Historical Foundation demonstrates how to salvage a book that has been submerged in dirty floodwater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iALyUeUTKg This video by Syracuse University Libraries shows you in less than three minutes how to rescue a wet book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9_fwmdCyzo

 Like any large-scale undertaking, once you have been in a situation where you had to use your emergency plan, you should take the time to review how it worked. What worked well? What didn’t? Did this situation open up opportunities you didn’t expect? How were costs distributed? This case study by the National Trust on burst pipes in 2011 does a great job in reviewing their situation.  https://www.nimc.co.uk/fs/doc/Casestudy%20-%20Burst%20pipes%20at%20the%20Argory.pdf

 Did you miss the 2021 Hurricane Preparations webinar? The recordings can be found here:  https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/2021-hurricane-season-preparations-for-u-s-gulf-coast-cultural-institutions.htm?fbclid=IwAR1u99Ygy21fS0hO1NmJNoTnU-JPK-hJJmmjayMJh9poeabJyfN8La3a9Po

  Join us on Wednesday, June 16 for part one of two webinars focusing on insurance: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2470571156599413776 This webinar will discuss how to plan for the risk of disaster that faces every historical site and museum. It will introduce the Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance (TX-CERA) and present an overview of general disaster preparedness considerations. Attendees will learn practical tips to assess risk and standard guidelines in emergency planning to implement within their organizations. Finally, we’ll explain the insurance placement process and walk attendees through types of coverage available as well as best practices for selecting limits and deductibles that are appropriate for the organization.

 Water damage may result from local flooding, broken pipes, roof leaks, or other water intrusion events and can have a devastating impact on cultural heritage collections. In this video, Karen Pavelka from the UT Austin School of Information demonstrates techniques for recovering wet paper and books. The methods shown can be applied at museums, libraries, or by individuals at home.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deVEElDluDU

 This comprehensive video series presented by the National Park Service and the Northeast Museum Services Center covers development and implementation of an effective disaster plan. It also provides information about disaster response and recovery and demonstrates useful post-fire salvage techniques. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqaIR9qPyIY/www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFB5E3A6B21EBA8BE