Disaster Response: The "Getting Started" Bibliography

NOTE: These titles as well as others on disaster preparedness and preservation are available for loan to San Diego and Imperial County libraries from the Preservation Department, UCSD Geisel Library at (858) 534-9838. They may also be borrowed via ILL from UCSD.

Alire, Camila, ed. Library Disaster Planning and Recovery Handbook. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2000.

Comprehensive (600 pages) analysis & response to a major flood at Colorado State University, Ft. Collins in July 1997. Includes all issues surrounding a major disaster in an academic library from management to public and technical services perspectives.

Anglim, Christopher. "The Worst Thing That Could Happen: Law Library Disasters and Preparing for the Unimaginable," AALL Spectrum 1, No. 4 (December 1996):8-19. Chicago: American Association of Law Libraries.

Current article supplying procedures for a broad range of situations, including not only fires, floods and earthquakes, but also toxic chemicals and fumes, power failures, shelving or structural collapse and sewer failures. Sprinkled with boxes containing vignettes of actual law library disasters. Contact Peter Beck at AALL Headquarters, 53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 940, Chicago, IL 60604. Phone: (312) 939-4770 ext. 19; Fax: (312) 431-1097.

Fortson, Judith. Disaster Planning and Recovery: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians and Archivists. How-To-Do-It Manuals for Libraries, No. 21. New York: Neal-Schuman, 1992.

Includes information on preparing for a variety of disasters, information on insurance, and sample forms. Contains extensive bibliographical references. $35.00 from SAA Publications, 600 S. Federal, Suite 504, Chicago, IL 60605.

Kahn, Miriam. Disaster Prevention and Response for Special Libraries: An Information Kit. Washington D.C.: Special Libraries Association, 1995.

This spiral-bound resource briefly covers all aspects of disaster preparedness and response. Includes salvage of all types of materials (books, software, microforms) in clear, concise steps. $20.00 ($15.00 SLA members) plus $4.90 S/H. SLA, 1700 18th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009-2508. Phone: (202) 234-4700.

Kahn, Miriam. Disaster Response and Planning for Libraries. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 2nd Edition 2003.

An update of the best step-by-step, how to guide for preparing & responding to all types of library disasters using quick and efficient protocols. Includes one new case study on post-9/11 recovery. Available on-line at: http://www.alastore.ala.org.

Kahn, Miriam. Disaster Response and Prevention for Computers and Data. Columbus, OH: MBK Consulting, 1995.

Invaluable resource for saving computers and data storage media, such as floppy disks and CDs. Covers prevention, response procedures and planning. Helpful illustrations and useful charts and checklists. $45.00 plus $5.00 S/H from MBK Consulting, 60 N. Harding Rd., Columbus, OH 43209-1524. Phone: (614) 239-8977, Fax: (614) 239-0599.

Kahn, Miriam. First Steps for Handling & Drying Water-Damaged Materials. Columbus, OH: MBK Consulting, 1994.

Simple lists of procedures, accompanied by clear illustrations, for handling various types of water-damaged materials, including books, papers, microforms, audio and video cassettes, photographs and negatives (but not diskettes). ($35.00 plus $5.00 S/H from PROTEXT, Inc., PO Box 30423., Bethesda, MD 20824. Phone: (301) 320-7231; Fax: (301) 320-7232.

Ogden, Sherelyn. Preservation of Library & Archival Materials: A Manual. Andover, MA: Northeast Document Conservation Center, American Association of Museums, Third Edition, newly revised and expanded 1999.

This manual contains a section of Technical Leaflets on Emergency Management, covering water and fire damage, biological agents of damage (such as mold, rodents and insects), planning for disasters, and protection during renovation. It also contains useful forms, lists and bibliographies (few illustrations). American Association of Museums, 1575 Eye Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20042-4002. Phone: (202) 289-9127, Fax: (202) 298-6578. Available online through NEDCC at http://www.nedcc.org/plam3/manhome.htm.

Price, Lois Olcott. Managing a Mold Invasion: Guidelines for Disaster Response. Philadelphia: Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, 1994.

Information-packed trifold, 8.5 x 11" brochure that explains how to identify the problem, inactivate the mold, clean the collection and follow-up to prevent a recurrence. $3.50 (including S/H). CCAHA, 264 S. 23rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19103. Phone: (215) 545-0613. Available online through CCAHA at: http://www.ccaha.org/mold_eng.html.

Primer on Disaster Preparedness, Management, and Response: Paper-Based Materials. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and Records Administration, Library of Congress, and U.S. National Park Service, 1993.

Four excellent reprints, each covering a different aspect of disaster management of paper-based materials: (1) Smithsonian Institution. Staff Disaster Preparedness Procedures. Rev. Oct. 1993. Useful checklists outlining procedures for action immediately following a disaster. (2) NARA. Emergency Salvage of Flood Damaged Family Papers, Aug. 1993. Directed to the general public regarding small scale threats to personal collections. (3) Waters, Peter. Procedures for Salvage of Water Damaged Library Materials (extracts from unpublished revised text, July 1993). Excerpts from this revised classic reflect changes in use of fumigants and refinement of techniques. (4) National Park Service. Mold and Mildew: Prevention of Microorganism Growth in Museum Collections. Available online through CoOL at http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/bytopic/disasters/

Wellheiser, Johanna G. and Jude Scott. An Ounce of Prevention: Integrated Disaster Planning for Archives, Libraries and Record Centres. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press and Canadian Archives Foundation, 2002.

A complete revision of the 1985 classic - one of the most practical and comprehensive manuals published on disaster prevention, planning, and recovery. Includes all aspects of preparedness & planning, recovery of print & electronic records and facilities. Excellent sources of information in appendices.

Compiled by Ruth Levor and Sushila Selness, University of  San Diego, School of Law, Legal Research Center, January 1997. Revised December 2003.

Additional bibliographies are available via CoOL (Conservation OnLine): http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/

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