14.3 Disaster Plan

• Your library disaster plan is a guide that is used to assist in preparing for and recovering from a disaster. Disasters can range from minor incidents such as broken water pipes to major damage caused by floods, fires, or earthquakes. Your library should have a disaster plan in place to prioritize salvaging library materials and to resume public service as quickly as possible when a disaster occurs. If your library does not currently have a disaster plan, it should begin developing one immediately. Federal Government publications should be specifically addressed in the disaster plan. Resources for writing a disaster plan are listed at the end of this chapter. It is acceptable for your depository’s disaster plan to be included in an overall plan for the entire library.
• Your library disaster plan should mark the location of high priority publications and disaster recovery supplies on a depository emergency floor plan so that they can be easily located. Each emergency is a unique event; your library disaster plan should be adaptable to the situation at hand. The goal in disaster planning is to recover the materials that have value, plan for replacement of lost items, and resume service to users as soon as possible.
• Your library disaster plan should consist of a master copy and multiple working copies and include preservation and recovery procedures. There are procedures that can be followed by your library staff as well as procedures that an outside disaster recovery company will follow, taking into consideration that a company may have little or no experience with damaged library materials or Government publications.

14.3.A Master Copy

The master copy of your library disaster plan includes information not found in the working copies, such as an introduction, previous disaster reports, and an annual review and update schedule. Review the disaster plan annually, and date any revisions.

Suggestions for your master copy of the disaster plan include:

• Introduction statement
• Emergency telephone numbers and email addresses including disaster response team coordinators and members, nearby depositories and regional depositories, and Government Printing Office (GPO)
• Threat assessment
• Prevention (mitigation)
• Backup plan for digital data
• High priority publications list
• Recovery methods
• Floor maps, charts and graphs (including location of disaster response supplies, high priority publications, exits, and fire-alarm pulls)
• List of vendors and service providers
• Disaster response and recovery reports
• Annual review and revision schedule (all revisions should be dated)
• List of disaster recovery companies to contact

14.3.B Working Copy

The working copies of your library disaster plan are a scaled-down version of the master copy. They should include concise directions, lists, tables, charts, diagrams, and the depository emergency floor plan. The working copies will include little text, because first responders will not have time to read long passages. The working copies, placed in plastic page protectors and bound in a three-ring binder, should be distributed to key personnel and service points for use by first responders at a disaster site.

Suggestions for your working copy of the disaster plan include:

• Emergency telephone numbers and email addresses
• Telephone numbers and email addresses for all staff members, including a contact such as a family member who could confirm their whereabouts in the event of an evacuation
• Steps to establish a Web site to track information in the event of a disaster
• Depository emergency floor plan
• High priority publications list
• Recovery instructions and procedures

Resources listing disaster supplies and describing recovery methods are included at the end of this chapter.