Protecting Library and Archive Collections: Disaster Preparedness

The Western States and Territories Preservation Assistance Service(WESTPAS) is offering a series of disaster planning workshops in the West. Two-part workshops have been scheduled in Seattle and in Vancouver, WA. in September/November:

SEATTLE:
Part 1: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Part 2: Tuesday, November 3, 2009  9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.  
Location: Odegaard Undergraduate Library Room 220, University of
Washington, Seattle, WA 98195

VANCOUVER, WA
Part 1: Monday, September 21, 2009, 9:00a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Part 2: Monday, November 16, 2009, 9:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Location: Library Hall, Vancouver Community Library (Main Library),
1007 East Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98663 

Workshop instructor, Gary Menges, is Preservation Administrator at the University of Washington Libraries, Seattle. He is a member of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works  Collections Emergency Response Team (AIC CERT).

The “Protecting Library & Archive Collections” workshops are presented in a 2-part sequence to produce the following outcomes for disaster preparedness activities:

• Complete a disaster plan by the end of Part 2.
• Learn how to train staff to implement your plan effectively.
• Set pre- and post-disaster action priorities for your collections.
• Learn how to use practical decision-making skills during an
   emergency.
• Experience salvage procedures for books, documents, and non-print media.

The workshop days are scheduled several weeks apart. Participants will prepare short assignments prior to the first session; between sessions, they will undertake additional assignments resulting in a completed disaster plan at the end of Part 2. Upon completion, the institution will be invited to join an informal network of WESTPAS trained personnel to provide mutual aid in the event of emergencies involving collections in the region.

Who should attend:
Administrators and staff responsible for emergency preparedness, response and decision-making, in all types of libraries and archives. By registering for the workshop, the institution commits to supporting the attendee(s) to achieve the workshop’s disaster preparedness goals. When possible, please send two attendees from a library or archive so they can work together on the disaster preparedness activities.

Cost:
No charge to the institution.  Funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The workshops are co-sponsored by the Washington State Library and Washington State Archives.

Registration:
Pre-registration is required. You will be able to register online. To register go to:
http://evanced.califa.org/pls/lib/eventcalendar.asp?lib=4
(Go to September and click on September 16 for Seattle; September 21 for Vancouver and complete the registration form).

For registration assistance contact:

Kathy Krause krause@plsinfo.org 

Information about the individual workshops and registration information for each workshops will be sent in separate email messages.