Preserving the Collection: Disaster Planning, Response & Recovery

The Performing Arts Readiness project has a great list of past and upcoming free webinars on various emergency preparedness topics: https://performingartsreadiness.org/webinars/

The Preservation Self-Assessment Program is an assessment tool with educational components developed to assist non-specialists in better understanding preservation of the materials in their care. The site contains both the assessment tool and a well-illustrated directory of material types, their description, and associated risks.

We all work with digital files in one form or another - it could be 3D scans of objects in a collection, a digitized book, periodic photographs, or records of documentation or administrative activities. Methods for storing these records are constantly improving these days, often faster than cultural institutions can keep up. The Digital Preservation and Outreach Education Network has a Digital Preservation Resource Guide full of great, free resources that offer guidance on a variety of digital preservation topics.   https://www.dpoe.network/digital-preservation-resource-guide/

I n these webinars hosted by FAIC's Connecting to Collections care, the presenter Tara Kennedy discusses how to find disaster recovery vendors and how to know they're right for you. Avoiding Ambulance Chasers: Working with Emergency Recovery Vendors - https://connectingtocollections.org/emergency-recovery-vendors/   Working with Disaster Recovery Companies: What You Need to Know - https://connectingtocollections.org/working-with-disaster-recovery/

This recent webinar by FAIC's Connecting to Collections Care discusses OSHA's on-site consultation program, with commentary by two museums who hosted consultants. https://connectingtocollections.org/ohsaonsiteconsultation/

The Assessment of Historic and Future Trends of Extreme Weather in Texas, 1900-2036 uses historic and recent weather data to make predictions up to 2036. It was updated in April 2024 with the most recent 2.5 years of weather data. The update includes the full report as well as a condensed, 10-page version .

In 2019, The Museum at FIT (MFIT) was awarded a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as part of their Museums for America program, to test the museum’s collection for hazardous substances. This research resulted in Material Evidence , an online symposium, and a set of handling guidelines, Handling Concerns for Fashion Collections .