|
Greetings,
Folks -- My responses/thoughts in CAPS below in Sue's email. Food for thought..... CAMILA Dr. Camila Alire ALA
President-elect Sue Kamm wrote: 15487178.1221847454574.JavaMail.root@mswamui-backed.atl.sa.earthlink.net" type="cite">SUE - YOU ARE RIGHT--LIBRARIES REALLY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH DISASTERS AND CRISES [E.G. A SHOOTING IN THE LIBRARY, ETC]. I AM EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT PRIOR TO THE CSU DISASTER AND WHEN I WAS AT CU-DENVER, WE NEVER HAD A DISASTER PLAN AT CU-DENVER [WE ALWAYS PUT THE PROJECT ON THE BACK BURNER --- ONE WAS DEVELOPED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CSU DISASTER!]. UNTIL THE CSU DISASTER OCCURRED DID I REALIZE HOW CRITICAL IT IS TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND DISASTER RECOVERY. THE PLAN AT LEAST NAMES A DISASTER RECOVERY TEAM [DRT] AND GUIDELINES FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR STARTERS AND THEN DEVELOPING/IMPLEMENTING A RECOVERY PLAN...Libraries can become the victims of disasters. (Understatement of the year!) So many recent ones have been by water, either flooding, as in Iowa, or hurricanes, on the Gulf Coast, or along the Atlanta seaboard. We in California have the occasional earthquake. And those in Southern California were reminded of the result of major arson fires. 15487178.1221847454574.JavaMail.root@mswamui-backed.atl.sa.earthlink.net" type="cite">AGAIN, COORDINATION FOR OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE BY OTHER LIBRARIES, LIBRARY AGENCIES, AND LIBRARY EMPLOYEES WOULD BE IDEAL. ALA'S CHAPTERS COULD BE INVOLVED IN SOME WAY AND MAYBE THAT IS WHERE THIS "ALA" INVOLVEMENT COULD START WITH CHAPTER RELATIONS TAKING IT ON AS A POSSIBLE INITIATIVE AND ALSO WORKING WITH STATE LIBRARIES [ASCLA/COSLA].Can ALA coordinate an ongoing disaster relief program for libraries affcted by these "acts of God"? I envision a network of teams in each state who would be willing to offer advice (get wet materials into cold storage), AND to go to the site to help the victimes pack out and perform other dirty jobs. The program would invovle ALA's chapters. HOWEVER, IN ALL THREE DISASTERS WITH WHICH I WAS AFFILIATED [NOT A REPUTATION I RELISH BEING IDENTIFIED WITH :-) ] WE COULD NOT ENGAGE/ENCOURAGE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US -ESPECIALLY AT CSU. IT BECOMES A LEGAL LIABILITY ISSUE. HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT PREVENT A SMALL PUBLIC LIBRARY FROM ENLISTING VOLUNTEER HELP WHEN THEY ARE UNABLE TO HIRE A COMPANY THAT HANDLES THE PACKOUT FOR THE LIBRARY. NONETHELESS, THE LIBRARY NEEDS TO CHECK WITH CITY/COUNTY OFFICIALS ABOUT LIABILITY. 15487178.1221847454574.JavaMail.root@mswamui-backed.atl.sa.earthlink.net" type="cite">THERE HAVE BEEN PROGRAMS AT STATE AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES IN THE PAST YEARS. I WAS INVOLVED IN ONE AT TLA ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN 2006 [AS DID ILA] AND LAMA OFFERED SOME JUST RECENTLY [2007] AT ALA ANNUAL. ALSO AT THE SAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE, I WAS INVOLVED IN A DISASTER-RELATED PROGRAM FOR LIBRARY SUPPORT STAFF. JUST THIS YEAR, MPLA/ULA DID A PROGRAM ON DISASTER PLANNING/ RECOVERY. EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS LEADERSHIP AND DISASTERS -- ENGAGING THE LIBRARY DEANS/DIRECTORS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT TEAMS IN PREPARING FOR AND DEALING WITH DISASTERS.At the very least, we should offer hands-on programs at each annual conference dealing with the nuts and bolts of disaster planning. How does one draw up such a plan? What should be included? Are there funds available to purchase and store materials (boxes, tape, etc.)? Who will speak for the library - the director, a pr person, someone else? I DO KNOW THAT VARIOUS STATE CONFERENCES DO SOME PROGRAMMING. AND SAA PRESERVATIONISTS DO PROGRAMMING ON DISASTER PLANNING/RECOVERY. BESIDES PROGRAMMING, NEAL-SCHUMAN PUBLISHED A HANDBOOK/MANUAL ON DISASTER PLANNING & RECOVERY THAT ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS SUE ASKS ABOVE AND MANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.. I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHER BOOKS/ARTICLES OUT THERE. I THINK THAT UNM LIBRARIANS ARE COMPLETING A BOOK ON DISASTER PLANNING FOR ACRL PUBLICATIONS. THE BOTTOMLINE HERE, IS THAT PROGRAMMING TO DEAL WITH DISASTERS/CRISIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS WELL AS WHATEVER KIND OF COORDINATION THAT CAN BE DONE AT THE CHAPTERS LEVEL. HOPE THIS HAS BE HELPFUL. CAMILA 15487178.1221847454574.JavaMail.root@mswamui-backed.atl.sa.earthlink.net" type="cite">If anyone wants to pick up this particular ball, please do. Your friendly CyberGoddess and Councilor-at-large, Sue Kamm Inglewood/Los Angeles, CA Truest of the Blue, Los Angeles Dodgers Think Blue Week 2000 Visit my blog: http://suekamm.blogspot.com email: suekamm [at] mindspring.com "High fly ball into right field ... she is gone! In a year that has seemed so improbable, the impossible has happened!" - Vin Scully, describing Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run, Game 1, 1988 World Series _______________________________________________ Publib mailing list Publib@webjunction.org http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib |
Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.16.