Disaster Plan

Information Resources Disaster Response Plan for the Library and Rrecords

Introduction to the Plan
Prevention/Protection Strategies
Emergency Checklist
Notification and Early Response
Prioritized list of library and other personnel, with office and home telephone numbers
Disaster Response Team Members and Duties
Preparedness
Checklist of pre-disaster actions
Plan Review
Ensuring that the response plan is updated regularly
Stabilizing the Environment
Preparing for Recovery
Recovery
Procedures for transferring damaged materials to recovery site
Procedures for salvage of damaged materials
Cleanup and re-shelving
Post-Disaster Procedures

APPENDICES:

Prevention Checklist
1. http://www.jlab.org/intralab/emergency/hurricane/ARCcklist.html
2. http://www.solinet.net/emplibfile/prevlist.pdf
Rare book collection inventory
http://www.jlab.org/div_dept/cio/IR/library/AVS.htm
Floor Plans and Location of Keys
http://www.jlab.org/intralab/buildings/building001/floor1.html
1. Keys are located in the work office 126A on the board by the window.
2. Each staff person has a key to their office
3. The Library Director or IR Manager has a master key
Supplies and Resources on Site
Restoration Facilities (Sites)
Insurance & Property (add location of photographs/video detailing the library materials & property)

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the Thomas Jefferson Accelerator Facility Disaster Response Plan is to outline procedures for anticipating, preventing, and responding to threats to library and records collections and equipment. The plan distinguishes between "emergencies," events that can be managed by a department's staff with minimal disruption, and "disasters," events such as hurricanes, floods, and fires, which may be more widespread; cause physical damage to the building, its collections, and equipment; disrupt service to users for an indefinite period of time; and require resources beyond the capability of the department.

Effective response to a disaster requires the active participation of a Disaster Team, the commitment of all library staff, and the cooperation and coordination of facilities personnel and security officers. In all situations, the first priority is the safety of human lives. Only after a building has been declared safe by the fire marshal, building supervisor, and lab safety representative will the Disaster Response Team begin its work. Adherence to this plan will ensure human safety, minimize damage to library collections and equipment, and facilitate the prompt resumption of library and records services.

Because the disasters most likely to occur in this area involve water (hurricanes, floods, broken pipes, and fires with the attendant damage from fire suppression efforts, as opposed to earthquakes, for example), this plan emphasizes, but is not limited to, response to disasters involving water-damaged materials.

PREVENTION/PROTECTION STRATEGIES

Library personnel should be aware of all situations that have the potential to cause damage and should correct them before they develop into emergencies or disasters. All personnel should be familiar with the layout of the building, including areas of potential danger. They should know the locations of emergency exits and alternate routes, fire extinguishers, and fire alarms, and how to operate them.

Many man-made disasters can be prevented or lessened in severity by regular inspections of the building. Library Director or staff should check regularly that:

No pipes, plumbing facilities or air conditioning equipment are leaking.
There are no signs of water damage from roof, walls, windows
Electrical equipment is turned off or unplugged if not in regular use, and no wiring is frayed.
There are no signs of structural damage.

General facility inspections should occur at least annually, preferably semi-annually. See Appendix A for a sample checklist.

EMERGENCY CHECKLIST

Water Emergencies

Minor leaks:

Cover library/records materials in affected area, or place buckets or wastebaskets under leaks before water damages materials.
During daytime hours, notify: Facilities Service, 269-7400 and the Library Director 269-7525.
After hours, notify: Security, 269-5822

Major water problems:

Do not enter flooded area.
During library hours, notify: Facilities Management, helpdesk, 269-7400; Security, 269-5822; for extreme emergencies x4444.
After library hours, notify: Security, 269-5822; for extreme emergencies x4444
Evacuate area (unless doing so would jeopardize human safety).

Smoke or Fire: Call x4444, and Security 269-5822.

NOTIFICATION AND DISASTER TEAM RESPONSE/DUTIES

LIBRARY TELEPHONE TREE

Library Director, Elois A. Morgan 269-7525 (work)

Records Manager, Kim Kindrew 269-7805 (work)

Asst. Librarian, Sandra D'Souza 269-7524 (work)

DISASTER RESPONSE TEAM MEMBERS

	OFFICE	PAGER
1. Rusty Sprouse, Facilities, Director of Response	269-7589	584-7589
2. Elois A. Morgan, Library Director	269-7525
3. John Kelly, Emergency Management	269-7531	584-7531
4. J.T. Kelly, ARC Building Manager, Logistics team	269-7702	584-7702
5. Kim Kindrew, Records Manager	269-7805
6. Sandra D'Souza, Asst. Librarian, Logistics team	269-7524

DUTIES

1. Director of disaster response

Responsible for overall implementation of Disaster Response Plan
Consults with physical plant and safety representatives to determine when to begin
Notifies Disaster Response Team members
Establishes command center
With recovery specialist and photographer, assesses and records damage
Determines the kind of salvage necessary
Confers with Library Director and consults to determine appropriate level of preservation response
Determines timetable for recovery
Requests manpower, as needed, delegates as appropriate.
Arranges orientation for recovery participants
Prepares report.
Ensures that volunteers sign waiver forms
Performs regular safety inspections of the library

2. Logistics and coordination team leader

Confers with Library Director and Disaster response team to determine appropriate level of preservation response
Supervises transportation and relocation of materials from disaster site to recovery site or restoration services, and their return
Assists with damage assessment
Assist with contacting outside agencies for assistance and supplies
Supervises the transport of supplies and materials and the movement of damaged materials
Supervises in-house cleaning and drying
Trains/orients manpower
Reports to director regarding rehabilitation process and unsalvageable materials.

3. Photographer

Photographs the extent of damage to the building, the furniture, and the materials as part of the initial damage assessment
Photographs the recovery, salvage, rehabilitation, and restoration processes, and unsalvageable materials
Maintains a record of the time and location of photographs.

4. Director or Records Manager (where applicable))

Establish in advance work space for recovery
Acts as liaison with the Disaster Recovery and Logistics Teams to do their work
Keeps library (records) personnel and administration informed
Receives reports from the director of disaster response
Makes final decisions regarding restoration services
Coordinates budget and supplies
Authorizes (or obtains authorization for) payment and signs vouchers for supplies and services needed
Works with director of the disaster response to engage vendors and services
Ensures that insurance claims are submitted.
Supervises packing and unpacking of materials
Performs regular safety inspections of the library/records area.
Works to develop priorities to guide salvage operations
During disaster recovery, advises on priorities and salvage, based on written guidelines
Supervises training of volunteers in assembling and packing boxes
Maintains general records of materials moved to other locations
Supervises return of materials to stacks
Serves as liaison to cataloging and acquisitions departments to record destroyed materials and to obtain replacement copies
Prepares report on above activities

PREPAREDNESS TRAINING

Orientation of library (records) personnel in advance of a disaster is essential if the Disaster Response Plan is to be implemented efficiently, smoothly, and effectively.

The Disaster Response Team should meet periodically to review their responsibilities and to discuss any necessary revisions to the Disaster Response Plan.

Procedures for handling and packing wet materials should be reviewed at least annually.
Fire prevention and first response procedures should be reviewed at least annually.

Copies of the Disaster Response Plan and updates shall be distributed to staff and pertinent offices and made readily intranet accessible.

PLAN REVIEW

The Disaster Response Plan should be reviewed annually (preferably in early spring). This review will include confirmation of the following information contained in the plan:

Vendors' names
Restoration facilities
Availability and condition of on-site supplies
Composition of Disaster Response Team and members' contact information
Collection salvage priorities
Reconfigurations and local storage.

During the annual review, staff and team members should be informed of new techniques and equipment for recovery of materials, and these will be incorporated into the plan.

STABILIZING THE ENVIRONMENT

After the building has been declared safe to enter, the Disaster Response Team should conduct an initial walk-through and assessment. Depending on the nature and extent of the disaster, it may then be necessary to take some or all of the following steps to stabilize the environment.

Arrange security for the building or area
Turn off electricity and/or obtain emergency power
Protect the building and contents from further damage by eliminating sources of water, including emergency repairs to roof, windows, and stacks, and moving or covering undamaged materials
Ventilate building, using fans if necessary
Gather samples to be checked for contamination by sewage, asbestos, chemicals, or mold
Remove moisture by pumping out water, removing wet carpeting, and drying the air with dehumidifiers (45%RH)
Prevent mold by lowering the temperature and humidity as much as possible; in summer, set the thermostat to 65o, and in winter, turn off heat; monitor temperature and humidity with hygrometers; if possible, promote air circulation with fans
Some types of mold are highly toxic to humans; if mold or mildew is found on large quantities of materials, evacuate people and await outside assistance.

PREPARING FOR RECOVERY

Assess the damage -
Director of disaster response, library director, photographer, and logistics team.
Establish a command post -
Director of disaster response selects location, logistics team leader sets up.
Contacts appropriate salvage and recovery contractors for freeze-drying or air-drying - Library director (or alternate).
Organize logistics team (library staff and manpower) -
Director of disaster response or, Library Director (authorizes request).
Arrange for transportation, supplies, and equipment -
Director of disaster response, or Library Director.
Prepare prioritized map of materials in affected area -
Library Director

RECOVERY

Disaster response director briefs Library Director or recovery supervisor on the situation.
Library Director or recovery supervisor brief logistics team and/or manpower.
Teams assemble and begin packing, employing preservation approved techniques.
Teams record ranges and number of the contents of each box as they pack it.
When moving crews arrive, recovery supervisors brief them and oversee the loading.
Recovery supervisors oversee unloading at the recovery site.
Report status regularly to the Disaster Response Director.

Removal of Damaged Materials

1. Identify and secure before packing begins:

Work spaces (air drying location, freezer, storage space)
Transportation (arranged by the Library Director or recovery supervisor)
Packing area, with space for sorting and packing materials
Loading area for delivery of supplies and shipping of wet materials
Route for the removal of full boxes
Rest area for workers

2. Workers

Plan breaks for rest and refreshment at least every hour and a half.
The recovery supervisor selects and briefs leaders of the three- or four-person sorting and packing teams; the Director of Recovery Response arranges for volunteers.

Equipment

Plastic crates or cardboard boxes
Waxed paper or freezer wrap
Waterproof marking pens
Color coded tags or labels for boxes (color indicates the level of damage)
Log books for recording materials leaving the library
Fans, dehumidifiers, electric generators
Book trucks, hand trucks, flat trucks

Tasks

Assemble packing materials.
Remove damaged materials. Wrap each wet book in waxed paper or freezer paper and place it spine down in a plastic crate.
Sort materials during packing according to the level of damage and color code boxes appropriately.
Record summaries of what is being moved in the log books.
Move crates and boxes to loading point and load trucks.

Priorities

Identify special collections and materials for first response.
Start removing materials from areas closest to the point of access and work back.
Clear aisles and passageways first; use a human chain to pass items out separately to a packing area; when the aisles are clear, bring the packing crates to the shelves.
Remove the wettest books first; if water has come from above, start working with the top shelves, if from below, with the bottom shelves
If the packing and removal operation will take more than ten hours, loosen tightly packed shelves or boxes so the books and paper do not jam as they swell. Otherwise, leave material packed together on shelves or in record boxes where it will present less surface area for mold growth.
Books that are actually submerged in water are likely to be in less danger than book that are wet but no longer submerged. After the initial wetting, submerged books will remain more stable and will be less vulnerable to mold attack than wet materials exposed to air.

Guidelines for Packing Wet Materials

Be extremely careful when handling wet materials because they are very fragile.
Don't unpack structurally sound containers like phase boxes or slip cases (although they may be reinforced by packing inside plastic crates).
Fill cartons and crates three quarters full.
Keep identification labels (call numbers and tags) with objects. Don't mark wet paper (but picture frames and reels can be marked with a grease pencil).
To prevent further damage, do not stack materials in piles on the floor.

Books

Don't open or close wet books or remove wet book covers.
If the water is dirty, wash the books before freezing.
Do not wash open books and those with water soluble media.
Wash closed books in tubs of cold running water and dab away (do not rub) mud with a sponge.
Time and facilities may limit this treatment.
Lay a sheet of freezer paper around the cover and pack spine down in a milk crate or cardboard carton.
Leather, parchment, and vellum bindings are an immediate priority because they distort and disintegrate in water.
Books with coated papers (slick, glossy paper) should be kept wet by packing inside boxes lined with garbage bags, then frozen

Paper

Single sheets of paper stored in file folders in file cabinets or boxes
Do not try to separate. Interleave the folders every two inches with freezer paper and pack.
Plans, oversized prints, manuscripts, maps in drawers
Sponge standing water out of map drawers. Remove the drawers from the cabinet, ship and freeze them stacked up with 1" 2" strips of wood laid horizontally between each drawer. Pack loose, flat maps in bread trays, flat boxes, or on plywood sheets covered in polyethylene. Bundle rolled maps very loosely to go in small numbers to the freezer, unless facilities are available for conservators to unroll them.

Computer disks

If the disks are wet, pack them upright in containers of cold, distilled water. Make arrangements to air dry.

Sound and Video Tapes

Pack vertically into egg crates or cardboard cartons. Do not put excessive weight on the sides of the reels or cassettes.

Photographic Materials

Salvage without delay wet collodion photographs (ambrotypes, tintypes, pannotypes and wet collodion glass negatives). Salvage these first and air dry them immediately. Both immersion and freezing will destroy the emulsion.
Daguerreotypes: salvage and air dry.
Nitrates with softening emulsions: Freeze immediately and make arrangement to freeze dry. Emulsions are water soluble and could be lost. Other photographs should be kept in wet containers of fresh cold water until they are either air dried or frozen. If allowed to partially dry, they will stick together. Pack inside plastic garbage pails or garbage bags inside boxes. Keep to a minimum the immersion time prior to treatment or freezing.
Prints, negatives, transparencies: Salvage color photographs first, then prints, then black and white negatives and transparencies. If facilities and personnel are available, air dry. Pack and freeze if not.

Microforms

Roll Microfilm: It may be cheaper to replace service copies than to salvage them, but master negatives may be irreplaceable and salvage the only option. Put rolls of microfilm in water tight containers and fill with clean, cold water. Send to microfilm processor within 72 hours for washing and drying. (See appendix of supplies and suppliers)
Diazo Microfiche, aperture cards, film in jackets: Pack, freeze, and make arrangements to air dry.

Salvage of Damaged Materials

Ninety five percent of all disaster damage will be the result of water. In most instances of water damage, the first decision to be made will be whether to air dry or freeze materials.

Guidelines for Drying Books or Boxes with Binders/ Files:

Slightly damp volumes or papers

Wet edges only; do not need interleaving to soak up excess water; can be air dried.
Cover drying surface with plain newsprint. Change newsprint as it becomes damp and remove damp paper from the drying area.
Stand volume on its head (upside down) and fan open slightly. Paperbacks and other books that will not stand on their own may be braced with wooden blocks or other non metallic supports. Position volumes in path of circulating air, but do not blow fan directly on wet paper as this will cause pages to wrinkle.
When almost dry, lay the volumes/files flat and place weights (not other drying books) on them to minimize distortion. Do not use mechanical presses.
Light weight, single signature pamphlets may be hung on lines of monofilament to dry. Make lines no more than 5 6 feet long and space at least 1/2" apart.

Damp volumes or papers

Wet beyond the edges, but not soaked through; may require some interleaving; can be air dried.
Interleaving is used to soak up excess moisture in books/files to speed the air drying process. Use only plain newsprint, white paper towels, or polyester web when interleaving.
1. Begin in front and work toward center, placing interleaving sheets every 50 pages or so (25 leaves), in such a way that the book can stand upright on its head when done. Repeat, working from back to center.
2. Change interleaving frequently, placing new sheets at different places from the last, and in such a way that the book can be turned to stand on the opposite end with each change.
3. When interleaving sheets no longer come out wet, continue air drying as for slightly damp volumes.

Wet volumes or papers

Wet to some degree throughout, but not saturated and dripping; can be air dried or frozen for later air drying; will require interleaving.

These materials will probably be frozen for later freeze drying or, if the number is very small, for air drying.
When materials are to be air dried, interleave as for damp volumes/files. Wet paper tears very easily, so care must be taken. The procedure will be much the same for interleaving and air drying damp volumes/files-it will just take longer. Be alert for mold.

Saturated volumes or papers

Soaked through; items may have been submerged in water or standing beneath running water; will require intense individual attention to air dry. Freeze drying is the preferred method for saturated materials, but if air drying, proceed as follows:

Cover drying surface with plastic sheeting then absorbent paper. Paper should be changed as it becomes wet and removed from the drying area to prevent increase in humidity.
Do not open saturated volumes. Wet paper is fragile.
Stand volumes on their heads (upside down) and let water drain from books. When changing the paper beneath books, reverse the standing position each time.
Covers may be opened slightly to support volumes
Waxed paper may be placed between the cover and endsheet to prevent staining from cover material dyes.
When most of the water has drained off, proceed with interleaving as for wet volumes.

Special considerations for water damaged books

Volumes with coated stock paper (slick, glossy paper)>

Do not allow wet books with coated stock paper to dry in a closed state as the pages will permanently bond together. Keep volumes wet (packed in plastic lined containers) or submerged until pages can be separated. If air drying, interleaving must be placed between every leaf. Freeze drying is preferred. Before freezing, several sheets of interleaving may be inserted at intervals throughout the text block to help wick out the moisture during the freeze drying process.

Muddy volumes

Remove muddy volumes from recovery area, preferably outside. Keep book tightly closed and hold it under clean, cold running water, letting the running water carry off the dirt. Remove as much mud as possible from the binding by dabbing gently with a sponge. Do not rub or use brushes, and do not sponge the pages or their edges, as these actions can force mud into the binding or paper and cause further damage. Squeeze the book gently and with even pressure to remove excess water and to reshape binding. Freeze or air dry according to degree of wetness.
Do not wash open or swollen volumes, vellum or parchment bindings, full or partial leather volumes, fragile or brittle books, books with water soluble components (inks, tempera, water colors, dyes, charcoal, etc.), works of art on paper, or manuscripts.

Moldy volumes/files

Mold and mildew can develop within 48 to 72 hours in an environment where the temperature is over 75 degrees and the humidity is over 60%. Materials that have begun to mold should be separated from other materials to prevent contamination. They may be frozen to inhibit further growth and to await treatment by a conservator.

Microfilm

It may be cheaper to replace service copies than to salvage them, but master negatives may be irreplaceable and salvage the only option.

Put rolls of microfilm in water tight containers and fill with clean, cold water.
Send to microfilm processor within 72 hours for washing and drying. (See appendix of supplies and suppliers)

Microfiche

Microfiche can be separated and air dried with some success, but they are prone to water spotting and scratching, so results are usually less than good. It is probably best to replace.

Magnetic media

Water is especially damaging to magnetic media. The longer they have been wet, the greater the damage will be. Success rates for salvage of magnetic media are extremely low and the process is labor intensive. If media are dried and saved, they can still cause damage to play back equipment. A good rule of thumb to follow is not to attempt salvage of commercially available tapes and disks. Replacement may ultimately be cheaper. For unique magnetic media, the following may be attempted.

Tapes (audio or video)

Break open cassettes.
Wash tape in clean or distilled water if dirty.
Air dry on sheets of unprinted newsprint.
Re record.

Disks

Carefully slit open disk jacket and remove disk
Rinse off any dirt in clean, tepid water
Fan dry by hand (do not use blow dryer)
When crisis is over, insert the disk into a new jacket (cannibalized from a new disk; this can be reused) and copy with a disk drive. The drive heads should be cleaned frequently.

Compact discs (CDs)

Hold disc by outer edges
Working out from the center in a straight line, wipe off water or dirt with cheesecloth or other soft, dry cloth

Unbound paper materials

Loose papers can be dried by spreading them on clean absorbent (unprinted newsprint) flat surfaces in areas where there is good air circulation. Cover with non woven polyester web if necessary to keep them from blowing away. Do not attempt to flatten; that can be done later if needed. Where the information on the page is the only value, damaged documents need only be dried enough to be handled and photocopied.

If the number of documents is quite large, or if their value is such that individual attention will be required, the items should be frozen as found. Do not remove from file cabinet drawers, document cases or folders; do not turn containers upside down to empty or drain.

A stack of wet unbound papers can be separated, but the process takes great care and is very time consuming:

Place a sheet of polyester film on top of the stack
Rub gently with a bone folder. Surface friction will cause the wet paper to adhere to the film
Peel back the top sheet and place it on top of a piece of polyester web
Remove the polyester film
Place wet sheet, supported by the polyester web, on unprinted newsprint on a flat surface and air dry as above

Salvage of fire-damaged materials

In case of fire, all burned or charred materials will have to be removed from the area before ventilation of smoke and air cleaning can be effective. Those items obviously beyond salvage can be placed on book trucks or in boxes or garbage bags and taken to another location for bibliographic control procedures. Those which can be salvaged can be removed to the recovery area.

Smoke and soot removal

If the only damage to books and papers is soot on the outside, it may be possible to remove most of it with a chemical sponge (see list of suppliers information on obtaining them). These sponges can be cut down to fit the cleaner's hand and can be washed and reused several times.

To clean a book, hold tightly closed and use a gentle stroking motion in one direction sway from the spine toward the fore edge on the head and tail, and the same kind of technique on the fore edge, spine and covers. Continue wiping until no more soot or debris can be removed without damaging the surface area.

Deodorizing

Charcoal and/or baking soda can be used to deodorize fire damaged materials. Place charcoal briquettes and/or bowls of baking soda in the area to absorb the odor. If a small number of books are affected, the books and charcoal may be placed inside a closed box or other enclosure. Wait two or three days or until the smell can no longer be detected.

Cleanup and Reshelving

Cleanup

Following the removal of damaged materials, the dean or director will arrange for cleanup and repair of the damaged site by a campus or commercial cleaning crew (as well as for temporary storage of materials, as necessary). The crew will clean the area and restore the shelves.

Reshelving

The recovery supervisors confer with the disaster response director and logistics coordinator about the time schedule for reshelving materials.
The supervisors apprise the logistics coordinator of transportation and supply needs.
Recovery supervisors oversee the loading and unloading of materials by library staff and trained volunteers, if necessary.
Workers reshelve the materials in call number order.
Recovery supervisors report regularly on progress to the disaster response director.

POST-DISASTER PROCEDURES

After recovery, using reports and feedback from Disaster Response Team members, the recovery specialist will prepare a report, including photographs, and submit it to the Disaster Response Team. The team will peruse the report and evaluate the effectiveness of the Disaster Response Plan in terms of what worked and what didn't. The team will submit a final report to the library dean or director, including an evaluation of off-site facilities and sources of supplies and equipment, and, if necessary, recommended revisions of the Disaster Response Plan.

SOURCES

Fortson, Judith. Disaster Planning and Recovery: A How-to-Do-It Manual for Librarians and Archivists. New York: Neal-Schuman, 1992.

Pope, J. Brandon, and Mark Sorensen. "Disaster Preparedness in Libraries and Archives." Urbana: University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, 1998. http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~johnpope/disaster_preparedness.html

SOLINET Hurricane Response Assistance

Lewis, Steve. " Disaster recovery yellow pages", 13 ed., Newton, MA: Systems Audit Group, c2004. HV5512 .D57 2004 (in the librarian's office)

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