The fundamental basis for being able to respond effectively to any emergency situation is careful and thoughtful planning before the fact. The following sections list and describe pre-disaster activities and procedures to be carried out in conjunction with this workbook.

The concept of preventive maintenance cannot be stressed enough: it is far better to prevent a disaster than to have to handle one later. For instance, in surveying work space one might find that the fire extinguishers have not been recharged in several years. By alerting the proper individuals to correct this situation, the institution will be far better prepared to combat a fire -- perhaps stopping it before it really gets started.

STEP #1: THE DISASTER TEAM
The "Disaster Team" is charged with the theoretical planning and disaster prevention before disasters, as well as the response effort in the event of an emergency. Identify the available human resources to formulate a Disaster Team -- complete with all or most of their responsibilities defined before the fact. The number of people on the Disaster Team will vary widely depending on the number of staff and employees in the institution. Responsibilities will have to be distributed and scaled accordingly.

Regardless of how exactly an institution decides to organize the Disaster Team, at least several individuals should be involved. The more people available in the planning process, the better the variety of the ideas and input. And, the more people that are aware of and knowledgeable about the disaster plan, the better protected an institution will be. But always remember: even one person familiar with disaster planning is better than none at all.

Number of members
Too many people on a committee can tend to hinder rather than hasten progress. Draw up a scheme for the Team and then ask for volunteers and/or nominations. Depending on the size of an institution, members of the Team do not necessarily have to work in the library or even be librarians. If a library or archive is small, ask for members from the institution's community or the community in general. See if someone from the local Fire or Police Departments would be willing to serve.

Organization
Once the Team members have been selected, fill out the organizational sheet. It should include phone numbers and each individual's various duties and responsibilities. Work to clearly state the duties of each individual on the Disaster Team, as well as the larger responsibilities of the Team itself. Examples of duties could be conducting the annual (or semi-annual) inventory of local disaster supplies, or acting as the spokesperson in the event of an emergency, or as the liaison with the Police and Fire Departments.

Staying Up-to-Date
To guarantee the disaster plan's currency, plan periodic updates. Revise and reassess matters; even if the institution has not had any type of emergency, have the disaster team meet semi-annually to conduct inventories of supplies, review evacuation routes, update phone numbers, and account for any changes in of office or institution policies or procedures.

Disaster Team Organization Sheet
Form 1 (HTML printable format)
Form 1 (PDF fillable format)

STEP #2: ESTABLISHING COLLECTION PRIORITIES
Establishing priorities is never a simple task, but it is imperative to identify important collections before a disaster so that they can be protected or removed in a timely manner during or after a disaster. Trying to make selection decisions in the course of an emergency will almost certainly result in misjudgments and the loss of critical time.

In addition to prioritizing, it is highly recommended to duplicate vital records and relocate them off-site. Copying important records periodically and keeping them in remote storage is one of the best ways to prepare an institution for a disaster. Frequent candidates for this tactic are the shelf-list, master negatives of microfilm, and financial and personnel files.

Ranking Collections for Evacuation
The shelf-list and/or card catalog are usually the first choices for immediate evacuation. This can prove difficult, however, if an institution is automated. One way to safeguard against losing this resource is to maintain duplicate system information off-site by periodically down-loading or protecting automated records. Consulting with the system's vendor about these procedures should be a top priority in disaster planning.

A priority listing of special collections materials will probably rank next on the list. Beyond these, list the institution's strongest collections (by call number range and/or location) in priority order. Other ideas: computers or hard disks, certain office files, etc. Such a list will be beneficial in assisting in the evacuation process, but will also be crucial when selecting materials for recovery once they have been evacuated from the site.

The following are some considerations to keep in mind when prioritizing collections, as offered in Sally Buchanan's Resource Materials for Disaster Planning in New York Institutions:

• Monetary value as a finite collection or as individual rare items.
• Irreplaceability.
• Ability to replace in the same or other format.
• Value in supporting the mission of the institution, (e.g., undergraduate education or public access)
• Scholarly resource.
• The breadth or depth of the collection.
• Fragility of the medium, e.g. film or magnetic tape or vellum.
• Kind of disaster or length of exposure time, (e.g. a film-based collection exposed to fire or high heat would be a low priority because most would be unsalvageable anyway)
• Value to the region, state, or nation.
• Value for continuing or restoring institutional operations, (e.g., payroll, purchase orders, catalog, shelf-list, etc...)

Plan for Security of Materials Once Removed from Site
Plan ahead for a secure off-site location in which to temporarily store the collections. When materials are relocated in the event of a disaster, station personnel to guard materials for the duration of the emergency situation. Carefully control access to these materials.

Collection Priority Ranking Form
Form 2 (HTML printable format)
Form 2 (PDF fillable format)

STEP #3: IDENTIFYING AND ELIMINATING POTENTIAL DISASTERS

THE BUILDING AUDIT

Working with the following forms, organize the Disaster Team (and additional staff members as necessary) to survey the physical aspects of the institution and the space which its collections reside. When conducting this "site survey," remember that it should encompass both the internal and external spaces of the institution.

Once having completed the form, prioritize those situations which need to receive attention. After this initial survey, a similar preventive check should be performed annually. Mark next year's calendar now, and try to repeat the survey at roughly the same time every year.

Building Audit Form
Form 3 (HTML printable format)
Form 3 (PDF fillable format)

Previous Problems and Past Events
Form 4 (HTML printable format)
Form 4 (PDF fillable format)

Existing Conditions Priority Form
Form 5 (HTML printable format)
Form 5 (PDF fillable format)

Include locations for the following details (and provide an annotated key at the bottom of map):

Controls for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems
Controls for power and electricity (i.e., master switches or breaker boxes)
Controls for water and gas
Controls for alarm systems
Keys to any locked doors (or cases)
Fire exits
Fire extinguishers and water hoses (or "stand pipes")
Medical supplies or first aid kits
Disaster supplies and emergency equipment
Any hazardous materials stored on-site Priority collections (i.e., collections to be removed in the event of a disaster. Also, for priority collections, consider listing lock combinations or the location of keys necessary to access to these collections.

Additionally, create a separate map detailing the evacuation routes for both employee workspaces and public areas.

Once complete, include maps in this manual. They will be useful tools for educating staff in periodic disaster training sessions, and they will certainly be a useful resource to the Police and Fire Departments (and staff) in the event of a disaster.

Facility or Maintenance Contacts Form
Form 6 (HTML printable format)
Form 6 (PDF fillable format)

Staff training and education
Education and training are important components of a successful disaster plan. If the staff is not familiar with the details of the plan, they may be confused and inefficient during an actual emergency. This workbook is not intended to be a simple reference tool to turn to only when and if an emergency occurs, but a living document to be referred to and updated on a regular basis.

For instance, have local fire personnel periodically familiarize themselves with the facility and with disaster plans. Provide them with a copy of the plan when it is completed, and make available to them any periodic updates. Try to include floor plans or layouts of the collections so as to facilitate the successful and quick evacuation of personnel and/or valuable items. Arrange with them to provide annual training sessions for staff -- to demonstrate the use of extinguishers, to practice evacuation routes (based on the EVACUATION PLAN, Form 7 HTML, Form 7 PDF ) and to teach general fire safety in emergency situations. Conduct semi-annual fire drills and workshops on fire safety and related topics. Make sure staff members know how to sound alarms, shut fire doors, and can read annunciator panels. Encourage or offer regular first aid and CPR training for staff.

Updates
Updating information in this manual cannot be stressed strongly enough. This workbook was designed so that plans could be revised by the individual institutions. But these revisions are up to the institution's staff. Updates should be made annually, if not when the information changes (see ANNUAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST, Form 8 HTML, Form 8 PDF ).

Periodic checks of emergency equipment should also be a part of this routine. Work out a simple schedule to check the continued correct operation of disaster supplies and equipment. Make sure everything is where it is supposed to be, and that it functions properly. Example: flashlights and other battery-operated items should be checked several times a year.

In addition to periodically retraining staff in the principles of disaster preparedness, it is also important to initiate newly hired staff as to the emergency procedures of the institution. Take the occasion of the hiring and training of a new employee to remind staff about disaster preparedness.

Evacuation Plan
Form 7 (HTML printable format)
Form 7 (PDF fillable format)

Annual Disaster Preparedness Checklist
Form 8 (HTML printable format)
Form 8 (PDF fillable format)

Here are a few basic preventive measures. Remember, some of the easiest ways to prevent damage to library materials can be accomplished without serious effort or expense.

Preventing Water-Damage
Broken pipes, overflowing sinks or toilets, leaky roofs, open windows, flash flooding, and even
fire suppression efforts can all result in water damage. To eliminate this threat,

Store special collection items on upper shelves or on an upper floor of the building, but not near pipes or in areas known to have roof leaks.

If possible, acquire humidity and water sensors which will sound an alarm when high moisture or wetness levels are registered.

Find out what kind of sprinkler system the institution has. Wet-pipe sprinkler systems have been known to leak, investigate the installation of a dry-pipe sprinkler system to guard against accidental discharge. Whichever kind, make sure to have it checked and inspected regularly.

Fire Prevention Checklist

- Strictly enforce non-smoking regulations throughout the facility.
- Have both an electrician and local fire authorities inspect the facility.
    (Ask them to note any violations or potential problems, and to provide recommendations.)
- Keep fire doors closed at all times.
- Have fire fighting equipment regularly inspected and kept in good working condition.
- Store flammable chemicals in a safe, cool location.
   (Preferably a locked and well-labeled metal cabinet).
- Install heat, smoke, and fire detection devices throughout the facility.
   (Make sure they signal in-house and at a remote monitoring station.)
- Install a dry sprinkler system.
   (With heat controlled valves which are less prone to malfunction.)

STEP #6: INSURANCE

The serious consideration of the potential for disaster should result in the detailed reassessment of an institution's insurance policy or policies Establishing a closer working relationship with an insurance agent is the best way to proceed. Also, the insurance company should always be informed of disaster situations as soon as possible after they occur. This will facilitate knowing how to handle the situation. If necessary, the sooner an agent can survey the scene, the sooner a more accurate estimate of the damage can be assessed for claims purposes. When contacting an agent(s) by phone, always confirm such agreements with insurers in a formal letter.

What is offered here is simply a brief overview of insurance as it relates to disaster preparedness. This section should definitely be supplemented by other more knowledgeable, detailed sources on the topic of insurance for libraries and like collections. Several books and articles authored by experts in the field are listed in the Bibliography.

The Policy and Its Coverages
According to John DePew in A Library, Media, and Archival Preservation Handbook, there are basically two types of policies: "All Risk" or "Specified Risk." All Risk policies are recommended since they are basically inclusive in their coverage, except for specific written exclusions.

Among libraries, it is frequently discovered only after the fact that parts of the collections were underinsured, or uninsured altogether. Make certain that the institution's insurance policy covers the collections and not just the building. The definitions which follow are helpful in understanding coverage, and are excerpted from England and Evans' book, Disaster Management for Libraries:

COVERAGE (other than books) usually includes, without limitations, furniture, furnishings, fittings, fixtures, machinery, tools, utensils and appliances, records and books of accounts, and generally all materials and supplies, and all other contents of every description. 'Records and books of account' extend the coverage under this definition to the inventories of a collection, e.g., a card catalog, computer database, or microfiche, however they are kept.

BOOKS includes, without limitation, all books (except records and books of account) and papers, magazines, manuscripts, periodicals and other publications, catalogs, microfilm, special and other collections and clippings, and generally all contents kept or used by the Insured in connection with their operations, other than those insured under the heading CONTENTS.

...books of account, drawings, card index systems, other records...not exceeding the cost of the blank books, blank pages or other materials, plus the cost of labor for actually transcribing or copying; media, data storage devices, and program devices for electronic and electromechanical data processing or for electronically controlled equipment, which shall not exceed the cost of reproducing from duplicates or from originals....No liability is assumed for cost of gathering or assembling information or data for such reproduction.

John Morris in The Library Disaster Preparedness Handbook lists those eventualities that may or may not be covered in a library's property policy and therefore require "extended or special coverage" -

1. Fire (and lightning).
2. Extended coverage: Windstorm, cyclone, tornado, hail. Explosion (except steam boiler). Aircraft and vehicle damage. Smoke damage (from faulty heating plants). Riot, riot attending a strike, and civil commotion.
3. Vandalism and malicious mischief.
4. Sonic boom.
5. Sprinkler leakage.
6. Water damage from defective plumbing, heating, and air conditioning systems.
7. Collapse of buildings and structures.
8. Glass breakage (from other than designated perils).
9. Burglary, theft, and robbery.
10. Employee dishonesty.
11. Steam boiler explosion.
12. Transit, including collision or upset.
13. Earthquake.
14. Flood, backing up of sewers, and water surfaces.
15. Autos, trucks, and bookmobiles, whether owned, leased, or hired by the library, as well as vehicles owned by others and driven on library business.
16. Steam boiler. The standard property policy excludes damage to or caused by steam boilers, so they have to be endorsed on the policy with an extra premium; this entitles the insured to inspection services for this vessel (and for other pressure vessels, if insured, such as hot water heating boilers). Local or state law requires inspections of large steam boiler, and the carriers inspection satisfies this need.
17. Plate glass. Breakage of plate glass is covered under the extended coverage potion of the fire policy, except for any breakage due to vandalism.
18. Property in transit. Books and works of art loaned outside the library are subject to loss. Librarians should check with their insurance person about the need for a transportation floater. [When loaning items to other libraries for the purposes of exhibition, it is customary for the borrowing library to cover the expenses involved with insurance.]
19. Extra expense. This coverage will pay for the additional costs of temporarily doing business at another location following a severe fire or other disaster, of for rented facilities of any kind necessitated by such an event.
20. Pine arts. Specialized property coverage is available for higher valued art works (i.e., for special collections and other rare and valuable items such as manuscripts, etc...).

Collection Inventories
DePew writes, "...The shelf-list is often considered an inventory of the library's collections. But to be effective for insurance claims purposes, it must contain the exact copy count (including disposition of withdrawn volumes), descriptions, and original cost of library materials. In addition, it must be kept up-to-date by regularly checking the books, both on the shelves and in circulation. Problems in settling claims can be aggravated both by incomplete and old records and by the difficulties in showing where the collections covered by the inventories are housed. An inventory of a collection must be reasonably up-to-date and complete to be of use in an efficient claims settlement."

The level of documentation expected by insurance companies seems nearly impossible to achieve. A complete collection inventory is obviously difficult to create and maintain, but imagine trying to do so after a fire or a flood has struck the collection. It is a significant step in affording the institution the best protection available in the event of a disaster -- an excellent example of the benefits of preventive maintenance.

Proof of Loss
When placing a claim, it is the responsibility of this institution to prove two things: 1) that an
incident actually occurred; and 2) that any damage incurred was caused by that incident. Usually,
one can count on reports from the police or fire department to help prove that the incident did
occur, but proving the second point to the satisfaction of the insurance company is more difficult.

For insurance purposes, a "loss" (in a fire situation, for instance) is when an item is completely consumed. "Damage," however, is when an item is not entirely destroyed, but only injured, i.e. charred or soaked in water. England and Evans (p. 61) list the typical requirements for proof of loss as:

1. A complete inventory of destroyed and damaged property, showing in detail, quantities, costs, actual cash value, and particulars of amount of loss claimed;
2. A statement of when and how loss occurred, as far as the insured knows or believes;
3. A statement that the loss did not occur through any willful act, neglect, procurement, means, or contrivance of the insured;
4. The amount of other coverages and names of other insurers;
5. The interest of the insured and all others in the property, with liens, encumbrances, and other charges upon the property;
6. The changes in title, use, occupation, location, possession, or exposures of property since issue of the contract; and
7. A demonstration of the place where the insured property was at the time of the loss.

1. A complete inventory of undamaged property, showing quantities, cost, actual cash value; and
2. A provision of the books of account, invoices, receipts, stock inventories, and so on."

Valuation and Loss
Replacement value for the collections, as negotiated with the insurer, should be stated in the institution's policy. For further explanation of value and loss, England and Evans (pp. 65-68) write that there are four different ways of arriving at figures for value and loss:

1. By surveying with estimate and determination of value;
2. By accepting cost and quantity as shown in records;
3. By replacing or repairing; and
4. By sale of salvage.

"...[c]overage for loss or damage of collections is optimally made by a mix of ways (one to three), and a value is agreed upon before loss happens. Using a survey can mean arriving at some estimated average value. Using records can mean settling at original cost, while replacement involves the cost of a new item, sometimes less a depreciation factor, or cost of repair or restoration.... Replacement cost for the same or equivalent new tides is a method of coverage chat works well in most libraries...where the circulating stock can be replaced with reasonable ease. The replacement cost should be stipulated to include replacement and processing costs....Replacement means that the loss items must indeed be replaced, or else loss settlement will be achieved on some other basis, usually the original or actual cash value. Actual cash value is the current value of the insured article at the time of loss; it usually involves the price of the article less some depreciation (or possibly appreciation) since purchase.

"...An average or other predetermined value may also be agreed upon; ideally the policy should state that the agreed value is guaranteed to be paid upon loss....It might be argued that some average value works well for collections that are special in some respect, perhaps with items that cannot readily be replaced from in-print sources. In practice, average value, while not ideal, is used with any collection as a workable solution to the problem of value. But it must be used cautiously. Rare books in a special collection (or embedded in the main collection) would be valued at only the average cost of all books in the library. Therefore, special coverage should be written for the special collection if the library is not able to replace lost items." [italics added]

Questions Relating to Insurance
Form 9 (HTML printable format)
Form 9 (PDF fillable format)

Continue On To Chapter 3: Response to an Emergency Situation

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