Foreword

The need for disaster preparedness by libraries, archives, and historical repositories is well documented. A sufficiently planned response to fire, flood, and other calamities can mean the difference between adequate recovery and total loss. It can mean that collections representing decades of acquisitions can be salvaged and returned to public use. It might even mean that disasters can be avoided entirely through prevention and detection techniques.

This need for disaster preparedness was identified as the highest priority of the Conservation and Preservation Committee of the Northern New York Library Network (formerly known as North Country Reference and Research Resources Council) in 1989. The committee looked at several scenarios for addressing this need before deciding upon a dual approach: the publication of this manual and the creation of disaster supply depots around the North Country for use by libraries and archives in case of disaster.

This manual is intended to serve as a workbook as well as a reference tool. Organizations are encouraged to work through its planning aspects and complete the work forms included herein. By doing this each organization will complete a customized disaster plan that includes the three vital components of disaster preparedness: prevention, response, and recovery.

The regional depots of disaster response supplies are now in place and are available for use by any library, archives, historical documents repository, museum, or other cultural entity in the North Country. Access is available twenty-four hours per day, every day of the year. All that is asked is that materials which are used up be replenished after recovery and salvage is complete.

The process of creating the building blocks of this regional plan has been greatly enhanced through the participation of the NNYLN's Conservation/Preservation Committee, which has donated time and expertise to this project: Chair, Lynn Ekfelt, St. Lawrence University; Marc Boyer, Odgensburg Public Library; Ellen Childs, Jefferson Community College, Keith Compeau, SUNY Potsdam; Janet P. Decker, Tupper Lake; Bridget Doyle, NNYLN's; S. Farid-ul Haq, SUNY Canton; Jerold Pepper, Adirondack Museum; Sally Rusaw, Mater Dei College; Joseph Swinyer, SUNY Plattsburg; and Doug Welch, SUNY Canton.

Funds to create and publish this manual and to acquire and place material into the three disaster supply depots were provided by the Conservation/Preservation, Division of Library Development, New York State Library, State Education Department. Special thanks to John Townsend, Program Officer, Roberta Cade, Director of the Division of Library Development; and Joe Shubert, Deputy Commissioner and State Librarian; for their assistance and support for this program.

One last word to those reading this. Please spend the time to work through this manual. It needs to be customized with your local information in order to be useful to you in the time of disaster. Please do not wait until after a disaster strikes....Do it now.

John Hammond

Executive Director
Northern New York Library Network