Preserving the Collection: Disaster Planning, Response & Recovery

  We generally try to point people in the direction of free resources, but if you don't have them already, the Field Guide to Emergency Response and the Emergency Response & Salvage Wheel are excellent additions to a supply cache, go bag, or personal collection. Wheel: https://store.culturalheritage.org/site/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=FAIC-1 Field Guide: https://store.culturalheritage.org/site/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=FAIC-2

The American Alliance of Museums is maintaining a page on their website of how recent executive orders affect  museums and libraries, and ways that you can make a difference: https://www.aam-us.org/2025/01/28/impact-of-executive-orders-and-pause-on-disbursement-of-federal-funds/ The American Libraries Association also maintains a page on their website for advocacy: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/show-up-for-our-libraries

This reference guide by the American Alliance of Museums provides a primer on disaster preparedness and helps museums understand the process of developing a disaster preparedness/emergency preparedness plan. Developing a Disaster Preparedness/Emergency Response Plan: https://www.aam-us.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/developing-a-disaster-plan-final.pdf

  A bit of good news for this week! How photos lost in American disasters find their way home, with a little help from people who care: https://apnews.com/article/found-photos-la-california-wildfires-hurricane-helene-63837175cfa3328873f98b9bdaad2e6f