Disaster Planning for Special Libraries

Disaster Planning for Special Libraries is ideal for corporate librarians and staff members charged with developing security and disaster plans. It serves as a reference guide, not only for people who have never considered the disaster planning process, but also for experienced planners. Chapters examine a wide variety of settings, from urban office towers and malls, to smaller buildings. It considers special considerations for libraries in hospitals, law firms, manufacturing plants and government departments, and discusses how corporate-wide security and disaster plans address-or fail to address-risks, summarizing the planning phases related to preparedness for security breaches, emergencies and disasters.

Subsequent chapters cover the business resumption process for corporate libraries, including the implications of declaring a disaster, the best ways to assess damage to corporate library facilities and assets, the need for strategic alliances with different kinds of suppliers, opportunities for alliances with other libraries, and the normalization of library operations. The book then discusses the necessary post-disaster public relations that corporate libraries should organize and maintain after negative events, covering orientation and training programs for corporate library employees, and demonstrating how such programs can be adapted to meet the needs of libraries in various settings.

Discusses how corporate-wide security and disaster plans address—or fail to address—the risks in corporate librariesPresents critical information in an accessible mannerOffers different approaches to a broad range of security and disaster planning topics in corporate librariesConsiders the risks for a variety of physical settings for corporate libraries, including office towers, malls and basements

1. A disaster planner for your library 2. First challenges 3. Assessing risks to your library 4. Preparedness and risk mitigation 5. Emergency and disaster response 6. Assessing the damage 7. Event recognition, disaster declaration, and crisis management 8. Strategic alliances: Internal and external partners 9. Operational resumption, succession planning, and postdisaster workspace 10. Postdisaster concerns of library personnel 11. Normalization 12. Orientation and training 13. Auditing your disaster plan 14. Future concerns for special librarians: a personal view

Appendix 1: Risk assessment and analysis: the Library and Records Centre of a Financial Services and Investments firm in Vancouver, British Columbia Appendix 2: Law firm library: risk mitigation program Appendix 3: Western Petroleum Research Institute Library Appendix 4: Emergency equipment inspection and audit report Appendix 5: Corporate library pandemic management program Appendix 6: Disaster response manager’s kit