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What Damage do Earthquakes cause
to Libraries and Archives? Earthquakes
may cause total structural collapse leading to the death
of staff and researchers or destroyed, damaged or buried
collections items. Structural collapse may cause fires
due to broken gas lines, as well as water damage to collections
from broken pipes, and sewer, fuel, and power lines.
Even if the repository building largely survives intact, earthquakes
may toss collections items from shelving; bury collections
items under furniture or rubble; damage roofs and walls leaving
collection items exposed to the elements; or drown repository
collections in mudslides, flooding, or under refuse from the
landscape (i.e., downed trees or parts of nearby buildings). Earthquakes
also may cause libraries and archives a major loss of original
order for archival and special collections and a loss of shelf
order and potential damage to descriptive systems if the systems
are not backed-up appropriately. Repository staff need
to know what their risk level is from earthquakes and plan
appropriately. |
What Determines the Level of Damage Caused by an Earthquake? Generally
the level of damage an earthquake causes to a Library, Archives,
or Museums depends upon the earthquake duration and magnitude,
your repository’s distance from the epicenter of the
quake, as well as:
- Earthquake Frequency: Based
on long-term records of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),
scientists expect about 18 major earthquakes (7.0 magnitude
or greater) and one great earthquake (8.0 or greater magnitude)
annually worldwide.
- Earthquake Likelihood: FEMA experts estimate
that 39 out of 50 states in the U.S. are at risk of an earthquake.
Your likelihood of an earthquake varies by location. Some
areas are more seismically active such as Alaska and California. Be
aware of your repository’s location in relationship
to tectonic plate fault and fold lines in your area, which
may be located via the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program at
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/qfaults/. In many areas
experts have predicted the actual size and impact area of
future earthquakes.
- Soil Amplification of Quakes: The thicker and
looser the soil on which your structure rests, the more amplified
the earthquake effect will be.
- Building Type: If your
collections are housed on unreinforced shelving in an unreinforced
structure in an earthquake zone, you are at high risk.
- Preparedness: Vulnerability
of collections is also dependent on what steps you have taken
to mitigate risk, such as placing restraining bars or cords
on shelving and ensuring the shelving is appropriately bolted
together to stable building elements.
- Trained Staff and Exercised Plans: The
level of risk your repository experiences may be somewhat
mitigated by having a trained and experienced emergency response
staff with a well exercised plan that they are comfortable
carrying out. For information on Emergency Plans, see
the following Web site:
Note: Some of the links below are PDF files. The freely available Adobe
Acrobat Reader is required to view and print them.
- Federal Emergency Management Website on earthquakes at: www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/index.shtm and www.conservationtech.com/FEMA-publications/FEMA.htm
- USGS Earthquake Hazards Program at http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/prepare/hazards.html
- USGS Quaternary
Faults and Fold Database of the United States at: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/qfaults
- Los Angeles Fire Department Earthquake Preparedness Manual
at: lafd.org/eqbook.pdf (1837KB)
- Center for Disease Control Earthquakes Emergency
Preparedness and Response at: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/
- Lisa Beinhoff, “Library Earthquake Preparedness
Planning: How to Make Sure that Your Library is Ready
for the “Big One” Journal of Library Administration,
Vol31(1) 2000, pages 67-83 at: www.haworthpress.com/store/E-Text/View_EText.asp?a=3&fn=
J111v31n01_05&i=1&s=J111&v=31 (PDF 49KB)
How do you prevent earthquake damage to your repository? When
building or renovating your repository, avoid building near
geological fault lines, major rivers and flood zones, volcanoes,
sites with poor soil, and related risk factors. If this is
impossible, work with a professionally trained and experienced
structural engineer to modify your building to withstand
an earthquake. Details may be found on how Structural Engineers
protect buildings at: http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.
do?id=2393 and http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2418
How to make your structure earthquake resistant: For
masonry structures, bolt roofs to walls and walls to foundations
using steel brackets. Re-point mortar as necessary. For
other structures add sheeting to roofs and floors and steel
braces, frames and brackets throughout. Reinforce walls,
beams, chimneys, and damaged mortar. Securely install track-type
lighting. Reinforce building openings, such as crawl spaces,
doors, and
windows by placing steel frames around them or steel beams
in them. Avoid excessive floor loading until structural integrity
and floor loading capacity can be determined.
Control Site Risks: Control site-related risks
by first identifying them then taking necessary action. For
example, review risks from surrounding structures or trees,
cutting down dead limbs and placing guy wires on nearby trees
or buildings as necessary.
Control Storage Space Risks: When planning
your space, select steel shelving with welded frames and cross-braces
but without tightly sealed and enclosed air pockets that may
promote floating during a flood. Constantly keep all
aisles, walkways, and doorways clear. Bolt shelving,
filing cabinets, map cases, and major furniture to solid structural
components, such as walls, ceilings, and floors, far from doors,
escape routes, and computers.
Padding shelving with polyethylene foam sheets limits kinetic
damage, but may require approval of your fire marshal. Consider
placing small loose items in gasketed and padded cabinets,
map cases, or boxes. Store fragile items, such as glass
plates, within padded boxes on well-braced shelves. Use
restraining bars or cords and similar devices to prevent materials
from falling off shelves. Bolt furniture to stable building
elements.
Protect Collections from Glass: Ideally avoid
storing images or certificates in glass-covered frames; instead
store the pieces flat in solandar boxes. If you decide not
to remove artwork from frames, use steel S-hooks or double-end
bolt snaps to secure framed objects at their top and bottom
to storage screens. Replace standard glass exhibit cases and
shelving with tempered glass or Plexiglas. Slip a wooden rod
into the handles of filing cabinets to ensure that they are
held closed. Purchase Velcro type tie-downs for computers. Using
mirrors as decorative building elements is not a good idea
in earthquake prone areas.
Earthquake Survival: Stay out of
rooms with wide span roofs, such as library or archival storage
spaces, instead going to small interior windowless rooms without
a lot of furniture or loose materials or going outside far
from structures or trees. If inside, get under
a heavy piece of furniture, such as a desk. Duck, cover your
head, and stay curled up until the shaking is over. Stay away
from windows, overhead fixtures, bookcases, filing cabinets,
loose tools, and electrical equipment. Prepare for aftershocks.
Before evacuating, inspect the evacuation route and staging
area to ensure that they
are safe and not in a state of collapse. Stay out of elevators,
but listen for
trapped individuals. Once the earthquake has stopped, evacuate
cautiously using the stairs or a door or window. Don’t
use matches, candles, or lighters for illumination as gas
pipes may be broken; use flashlights. Move cautiously, being
prepared for
additional shocks and structural instability. Stay away
from glass windows, doors, exhibit areas, overhead lighting
fixtures, and bookcases as you evacuate. Avoid tall, heavy,
and unsecured furniture. Try to determine if everyone has safely
evacuated. Notify authorities of missing or trapped individuals
and their likely location. Call authorities once you are safely
away from the building. |