In the previous sessions, you have learned about the structure and deterioration of collections and about basic collections care. In this session we will explore the concept of disaster planning. How do you prepare for events that might damage your building and collections?

Will planning ahead really make a difference? It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the possibility of disaster, but experience has shown that the impact of any event, large or small, can be lessened if you have made advance preparations.

Learning Objectives

This session will help you:

• assess your institutional risks and take actions to mitigate those risks;
• prepare for emergencies in order to minimize their effect;
• respond appropriately when collections are damaged; and
• plan for the long-term recovery of damaged collections.

Preparing a detailed disaster plan for your institution is a time-consuming and complex task that is beyond the scope of this session, but what you learn here will enable you to return to your institution and get started. By the end of the session, you will have learned about the elements of disaster planning; summarized the current status of your disaster planning efforts; set priorities for action; and considered how you might overcome any obstacles that might exist.