Annotated Resources

To help make your MayDay as productive as possible, browse SAA's guide to some of the disaster planning and prevention resources available online from a variety of institutions, organizations, and government agencies. Each resource is annotated for your convenience. The Society of American Archivists does not assume liability or responsibility for the conduct, content, or currency of any site linked or pointed to or from the SAA website. For more information please refer to the SAA Disclaimer.

Articles, Technical Leaflets, Books, Guidelines, FAQs
A large body of written material on disaster planning is available in both print and electronic format. This section links to and annotates some fundamental readings by credible institutions, organizations, and government agencies. For more extensive reading, visit the bibliographies section of this guide.

Tools
Build your toolbox of disaster planning resources here. Find 24/7 hotlines, emergency contact registries, field guides, lists of conservators across the country, ways to search for suppliers by location, and much more.

Disaster Plan Templates
Need help laying out your plan? Browse an array of skeleton plans designed to be customized for practical use. Template complexity varies; you can find an immediately printable pocket response card, a 6-page Word document that you print and fill in, a detailed template intended for institutional use that can be updated and stored online, or something in between.

Example Disaster Plans
Many institutions have published their disaster plans online. Example plans include those tailored to archives, government records, special collections, university collections (as published by archives or library and information studies programs), and various other institutions.

Tutorials, Courses, Primers
Whether you need to instruct staff on emergency procedures or maybe take a course yourself, many opportunities exist to further disaster planning education. Often available free online, both general and topical continuing education is offered by government agencies, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and more.

Bibliographies for Disaster Information
Contains bibliographies (sometimes annotated) compiled by other institutions, organizations, and government agencies.

Other Resources
Contains links to guides, directories, mailing lists, newsletters, regional preservation groups, and much more.

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Articles, Technical Leaflets, Books, Guidelines, FAQs

A large body of written material on disaster planning is available in both print and electronic formats. This section links to and annotates some fundamental readings by credible institutions, organizations, and government agencies. For more extensive reading, visit the bibliographies list and the other resources included in this guide.

• After a Fire: A brochure created by the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM) walks you through what to do with fire-damaged material. AICCM encourages anyone to print and distribute this two-page flier. Formatted as a PDF.
  
  Target audience: General population.



• Caring for Your Family Archives: Presented by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the tabs Preservation and Archives Professionals, Family Archives. FAQ-style guidelines for the care, display, and conversion of personal archival materials.
  
  Target audience: Anyone maintaining a collection involving photos or videotapes.



• Caring for Your Treasures: Presented by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC). Contains guidelines, organized by medium (books, glass, metal, photos, etc.), for how to care for and maintain heirloom objects.
  
  Target audience: General population.



• Damaged Books Pamphlet: Authored by Caroline Bendix and presented by the British Library Preservation Advisory Centre. Describes the most common types of damage to books and outlines potential remedial work for that damage. Formatted as a PDF; contains illustrations and charts.
  
  Target audience: Library/archives professionals.



• Disaster Preparedness Plan: Created by the State Historical Society of Iowa. Summary document of why disaster plans are important, with interspersed guidelines on how to deal with each emergency.
  
  Target audience: Records custodians.



• Emergency Preparedness: Created by Library of Congress. Presents an overview of why it's important to be prepared for an emergency and of insurance and risk management. Breaks down disaster recovery by type of disaster (earthquake, fire, flood, etc.).
  
  Target audience: Librarians and archivists.



• Film Damage: Presented by the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA). Contains general guidelines on how to salvage water-damaged film and videotapes, FAQs, and a list of film labs across the country.
  
  Target audience: Those affected by hurricanes or floods.



• Guide to Navigating Federal Emergency Management Administration and Small Business Administration: Disaster Aid for Cultural Institutions: Created by Heritage Preservation in support of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, this guide summarizes federal recovery funding regulations tailored for cultural heritage resources, includes state emergency management agency contact information, and pinpoints relevant FEMA, SBA, and IRS policies and procedures. Guidebook formatted as a PDF, 66 pages. This guide was originally published in July 2008, was updated in January 2009, and is based on current federal policies. Visit this page for updates.
  
  Target audience: Cultural and arts institutions.



• National Park Service Museum Handbook, Part I: Museum Collections: Available through NPS. "Focuses on standards and procedures of preventive care for museum collections," and "includes numerous appendices on techniques for the preservation of specific types of materials found in museum collections." See especially Chapter 10: Emergency Planning.
  
  Target audience: Museum professionals.



• Preservation FAQs: Prepared by the Preservation and Conservation Unit at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Responses to frequently asked questions about books and paper, photographs, and artwork.
  
  Target audience: Library/archives professionals.



• Caring for Private and Family Collections: Created by the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC). When asked for preservation advice on “preserving family documents and memorabilia” by patrons or members, here is a concise list of tips to give.
  
  Target audiences: Libraries and historical organizations.



• Preservation Leaflets: Available through NEDCC. Approximately 70 leaflets grouped under the headings Planning and Prioritizing, The Environment, Emergency Management, Storage and Handling, Photographs, Reformatting, and Conservation Procedures. Leaflets are internally cross-referenced with linked material.
  
  Target audiences: Museums, libraries, archives, historical organizations, cultural institutions, and private individuals.



• Disaster Response and Recovery Guides: Resources compiled by the American Institute for Conservation. Downloadable PDF guides cover topics including what to do first in an emergency, how to salvage water-damaged textiles, saving photographs after floods, and tips for caring for water-damaged family heirlooms and valuables. Tip Sheets created by members of the National Heritage Responders provide brief tips to help collecting institutions respond to and recover from events.
  
  Target audiences: Museum and archives professionals. Individuals and families.



• Save Your Treasures the Right Way: Presented by Heritage Preservation for the National Task Force on Emergency Response. Basic guidelines for heirlooms, photographs, and other keepsakes.
  
  Target audience: Those affected by hurricanes and floods.



• Selected Readings in Preservation: Presented by the Preservation Section of the Society of American Archivists (SAA). “An annotated list of selected sources released in a given calendar year on archives preservation” that is “issued annually by the Society of American Archivists Preservation Section as a service to the Section and the archives community.”
  
  Target audience: Archives community.



• Shelter from the Stormy Blast: A Guide to Disaster Recovery Services for Georgia and the Southeast: The Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE), the Society of Georgia Archivists (SGA), and the Southern Libraries Regional Network (SOLINET) present an online Shelter from the Stormy Blast disaster preparedness guide, published in 1998. The guide is an essential resource for emergency resources and recovery services and products in Georgia. Formatted as a PDF.
  
  Target audience: Georgia and the Southeast.



• Technical Leaflets: Presented by American Association for State and Local History (AASLH). Leaflets, available for purchase individually or in bundles, cover a variety of topics, including disaster planning and preservation.
  
  Target audience: “History organizations in the United States” that tend to be “small, volunteer led and, often, volunteer staffed.”



• Vital Records Awareness: An Overview: Produced by FEMA. PDF available from Council of State Archivists (CoSA). Brochure provides guidance for identifying vital (essential) records, i.e., those necessary for the continuity of operations during and following a disaster. Identifies components of a vital records plan and provides advice on protecting vital records (including proper storage).
  
  Target audiences: Governments, private businesses and organizations, and nonprofits.

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Tools

Build your toolbox of disaster planning resources here. Find 24/7 hotlines, emergency contact registries, field guides, lists of conservators across the country, ways to search for suppliers by location, and much more.

• 24/7 Emergency Phone Assistance
  
  Free. Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC). Advice on how to deal with disaster during a disaster. Does not include onsite assistance. Do not request assistance via email, as that is not monitored 24/7. The number is 1-855-245-8303.



• Bookbinding and Conservation of Books: A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology
  
  Free. Created by Conservation OnLine (CoOL), a project of the Preservation Department of Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources. A very comprehensive index of terms accessed by typing the word query into a search box.



• Emergency Contact Registry
  
  Free. Offered by the Next of Kin Registry. Intended for use for daily emergencies and national disasters. “Provides the public a free proactive service to store your emergency contacts, next of kin and vital medical information that would be critical to emergency response agencies.” New feature: Pet registry. Only emergency agencies have access to information. See website for privacy details.



• Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel
  
  Available through Heritage Preservation. Movable wheel provides fast and reliable information on critical stages of disaster response, plus practical tips for nine types of collections. Special MayDay sale prices (4/15 – 5/31).



• Field Guide to Emergency Response
  
  Free. Available from the American Institute for Conservation (AIC). Provides disaster supplies shopping lists, field guide assessment forms, and rapid collection assessment forms. Includes instructional videos for various types of damaged materials, ranging from pests to water damage and broken objects.



• Find a Conservator
  
  Free. Presented by American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC). Web-based national search allows for narrow or expanded search based on specialty, type of material, type of conservation advice needed (eg, surveys, consultation, duplication-copying, disaster planning, exhibit consultation), and geographic area.



• National Heritage Responders
  
  The National Heritage Responders (NHR) respond to the needs of cultural institutions and the public during emergencies and disasters through coordinated efforts with first responders, state agencies, vendors, and the public.



• Search for Disaster Recovery Resources
  
  Free. Maintained by the Disaster Mitigation Planning Assistance website, a joint project of the Michigan State University Libraries, the Center for Great Lakes Culture, and the California Preservation Program. Comprehensive search tool that searches for experts, services, or supplies by location (narrowed by state or expanded nationally). Contributions of new information or vendors are encouraged to expand the database.



• Working with Emergency Responders: Tips for Cultural Institutions Poster
  
  Available through Heritage Preservation. A Product of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force's "Lessons Applied" initiative to develop practical applications for the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. Poster measures 17'' x 26''.

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Disaster Plan Templates

Need help laying out your plan? Browse an array of skeleton plans designed to be customized for practical use. Template complexity varies - you can find an immediately printable pocket response card, a 6-page Word document that you print and fill in, a detailed template intended for institutional use that can be updated and stored online, or something in between.

• A Disaster Plan for Libraries and Archives
  
  Free. Generated by Amigos Preservation Service. An 8-page, formatted, immediately printable (pdf) skeleton disaster plan with prompts for lists of supplies, important phone numbers, storage locations, insurance policy information, and more that should be pulled together for a workable disaster plan.



• dPlan
  
  Free. Prepared by the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). Online disaster planning tool intended for “small and medium-sized institutions that do not have in-house preservation staff.” This is a detailed template to customize the main parts of a plan to the needs of your institution/archives. Demo available, as well as “Normal” and “Lite” options. Can be completed and updated online with print and email delivery options.



• Generic Disaster Plan Workbook
  
  Free. Created by the California Preservation Program. Adapted from Inland Empire Libraries Disaster Network Response (IELDNR). The first quarter of the 55-page document contains guidelines and survey material, and the rest of the document is a template of the actual plan with blanks to fill in. Available as pdf, rtf/Word, or Web document. Information is not stored online.



• Pocket Response Plan (PReP)™
  
  Free. Created by the Council of State Archivists (CoSA). Follow the PReP template to transcribe the most critical information from your repository’s disaster plan in a 1-page, 2-sided Word document, then fold it to the size of a credit card, insert it in a protective PReP envelope, and carry it in your wallet. Originally designed for state archives, but readily adaptable for use by private repositories, museums, and other cultural institutions. The California Preservation Program has developed a version for collections (.docx).



• Sample Emergency Procedures
  
  Free. Created by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). A basic document containing template and guideline material, this 6-page downloadable Word file is designed to encourage archivists and other cultural heritage professionals to take personal and professional responsibility for doing something simple for MayDay.

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Example Disaster Plans

Many institutions have published their disaster plans online. Example plans include those tailored to archives, government records, special collections, university collections (as published by archives or library and information studies programs), and various other institutions.

• Archives
  
  Disaster Planning: Example Disaster Recovery Plan
  Texas State Library and Archives
  
  Virginia Military Institute Preston Library, VMI Archives, and Institute Records Disaster Plan
  Virginia Military Institute Archives



• Government Records
  
  Compiling a Disaster Plan for Archival Collections
  Last updated in 2018 this is a PDF resource from MARAC outlining the steps to creating a disaster plan with abundant references.
  
  Emergency Plan for British Virgin Islands Government Records and Archives
  Archives and Records Management Unit, Deputy Governor's Office, British Virgin Islands



• Special Collections
  
  A Disaster Recovery Plan for the Australian National Herbarium
  Australian National Botanic Gardens



• University (Archives / Library and Information Studies Programs)
  
  Business Continuity Planning
  University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
  
  Collection Disaster Plan
  Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries
  
  Disaster Plans
  Syracuse University. Disaster plans for print, nonprint, and audio materials. Also includes an emergency supply list and a resource guide.
  
  EEP! Handbook
  University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Employee Emergency Procedures for a large university library system.



• Various
  
  Disaster Plans
  Presented by Conservation OnLine. A collection of example disaster plans for university libraries, historical societies, archives, and special collections.
  
  

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Tutorials, Courses, Primers

Whether you need to instruct staff on emergency procedures or maybe take a course yourself, many opportunities exist to further disaster planning education. Often available free online, both general and topical continuing education is offered by government agencies, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and more.

• Alliance for Response Forum Tool Kit
  
  Free. Prepared by Heritage Emergency National Task Force. Contains resources to help plan Alliance for Response Forums, work with emergency responders, identify allies in specific communities, and help sustain local disaster networks. Find program templates, essential contacts, project ideas, and funding sources. The Forums are designed to bring emergency responders together with cultural institutions in advance of an emergency so that both groups understand each others’ priorities and methods, establishing important relationships and communication channels.



• Disaster Plan Exercise
  
  Free. Presented by the California Preservation Program. Guidelines on how to “provide staff with experience in the implementation of an institution's disaster plan.” Learn how to run a disaster-preparedness workshop for your staff.



• Emergency Response Training
  
  Free. A 76-page pdf document by Ann Siebert, Preventive Conservation Section, Library of Congress (LC), and presented by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Explains and illustrates with photographs what happens in a real disaster, why exercise and training is important, and how a good disaster plan runs. Also includes exercises and mock drills.



• FEMA Independent Study Program (ISP) / Distance Learning
  
  Free. Full list of self-paced, online courses offered through Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute (EMI). “Official enrollment in the courses, scoring of final exams, issuance of certificates, and maintenance of student records is limited to United States (US) residents with a US deliverable postal address.”

• ICCROM Courses
  
  One of the ways The International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restortation of Cultural Property (ICCROM) contributes to conservation training is through courses, held on international and regional platforms. Expenses vary by program. Visit the current ICCROM course list for details.



• Online Courses in Emergency Management for Cultural Heritage Responders
  
  Free. Online course offerings highlighted by the Heritage Emergency National Task Force and offered through FEMA. Organized into 4 categories: All Responders, Regional Response, Response Team Leaders, and Additional Courses of Interest.



• Preservation Training
  
  Off- and online courses organized by Regional Alliance for Preservation (RAP) that cover a variety of preservation topics.



• Primer on Disaster Preparedness, Management and Response: Paper-Based Materials
  
  Free. Issued by the Smithsonian Institution, NARA, Library of Congress, and National Park Service (NPS). This is a discussion of “how to plan for, salvage, and care for paper objects in emergencies, such as fire, flood, and earthquake.” Contains handy links organized by the creating institution, then by type of emergency.



• Public Outreach and Collections Care
  
  Free recording presented by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in partnership with Heritage Preservation and the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) as part of a webinar series based on the national initiative, Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action. Emphasizes public awareness as a key starting point for building support from individuals, local government, private sector and first-hand experience as the most effective way to create advocates in the community. Requires creation of user profile to access archive.



• Records Emergency Planning and Response
  
  Presented by NARA. Learn to protect or mitigate damage to records and to recover essential records in the event of an emergency. Emphasis is on developing a Records Emergency Action Plan and knowing how to activate all aspects of that plan. Includes information and hands-on practice in recovering records damaged in an emergency situation. Targeted at federal employees, but most content also applies to other levels of government.



• Vital Records Course
  
  Presented by NARA. Learn to identify, protect, and make readily available the vital records needed to support the resumption of critical business functions after a disaster, and to establish and administer a vital records program. Targeted at federal employees, but most content also applies to other levels of government and private organizations.

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Bibliographies for Disaster Information

Contains bibliographies (sometimes annotated) compiled by other institutions, organizations, and government agencies.

• American Library Association (ALA): See especially Disaster Planning Resources link.
  
  A linked list of resources addressing disaster planning, collection valuation, collection preservation and recovery, and other topics.



• Amigos: Emergency Preparedness and Recovery: A Select Bibliography.
  
  Monographs, articles, videos, case studies, exercises, bibliographies, and more. Annotated, 7 pages, pdf format.



• Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material (AICCM): Salvaging belongings damaged in a disaster.
  
  The professional organization for conservators in Australia presents brochures, offers guidance, and gives resources for salvaging material damaged by fire, flood, and mold.



• Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE);
  Society of Georgia Archivists (SGA);
  Southern Libraries Regional Network (SOLINET): Shelter from the Stormy Blast disaster preparedness guide.
  
  In providing "a link between the general advice offered by disaster planning manuals and the specific actions that must be taken when disaster strikes," this printable resource contains six sections (Emergency Networks, Evaluating Disaster Recovery Services & Products, National/Regional Disaster Recovery Services & Supplies, Locating Local Disaster Recovery Services & Products, Disaster Planning Literature, List of Abbreviations) to help tap into outside resources.



• Council of State Archivists (CoSA): Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI).
  
  Created by CoSA. At the core of CoSA’s EPI is a framework for improving records-related preparedness in the states. It includes an assessment tool for measuring readiness in archival repositories as well as state and local governments; the Pocket Response Plan (PReP); and a toolkit intended to provide ready access to preparedness and response resources.



• CoSA: Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Resources, Archives Resource Center.
  
  Guidelines, technical leaflets, newsletter articles, and advice available from state archives on a range of preparedness and recovery topics. Focuses vary among states. Some concentrate on state and local governments, others on assistance to individuals and private collections. Organized alphabetically by state and intended for archives and records administration at state and local government levels.



• Conservation OnLine (CoOL): Disaster Preparedness and Response.
  
  One of the most comprehensive resources on disaster planning, CoOL provides links to a wide variety of resources on most aspects of disaster planning, addressing most types of institutions. All information is easily followed through links, and all information is free.



• DISaster ACT (DISACT): https://www.anbg.gov.au/internal/appendix-F-staff-contacts.html. 
  
  An Australian government initiative, this program was "established by cultural and scientific collecting institutions in Canberra to improve disaster preparedness and provide local mutual assistance in the event of emergencies affecting public collections. DISACT sponsors disaster recovery training, conducts quarterly DISACT Network meetings, and has a website resource." Blue Shield Australia also regards this program as a model for collaboration when it comes to 'partnering' with a heritage organization to prepare for a disaster. Offers training (in Australia), example disaster plans, tips, primers, resources, contact lists, and more.



• Heritage Preservation and Heritage Emergency National Task Force: Disaster Resources for the Public.
  
  Offers tips for family heirlooms, safety guidelines, lists of organizations that can help, checklists of essential records, recovery guides, financial and employment assistance, and federal assistance.



• Minnesota Historical Society: Disaster Resources.
  
  An alphabetical, linked index of a variety of disaster resources organized by the preparing institution.



• National Park Service: Museum Handbook, Part I: General Bibliography, page 10:52 (PDF)
  
  Available within the 18.9 MB PDF of Part I of the Handbook, this is a general Bibliography of Chapter 10: Emergency Planning. Features articles, monographs, proceedings, newsletters and leaflets, bibliographies, and websites.



• Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC): Sources of Additional Information.
  
  Partially annotated, this list supplements the entire NEDCC website, whose mission is “to improve the conservation efforts of libraries, archives, historical organizations, museums, and other repositories; to provide the highest quality services to institutions without in-house conservation facilities or those that seek specialized expertise; and to provide leadership in the preservation and conservation fields.”

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Other Resources

Contains links to guides, directories, mailing lists, newsletters, regional preservation groups, and much more.

• Conservation Resources at Other Sites
  
  Prepared by CoOL. Includes guides, directories, mailing lists, online exhibits, reports, specialized resources, and more.



• Conservation/Preservation Institutions
  
  Created by Regional Alliance for Preservation (RAP). A linked list of institutions affiliated with RAP and specializing in conservation and preservation. Listed by region.



• "Doing More with Less?" Forum on Skills Development
  
  The British Library Preservation Advisory Center's first annual forum, which focused on development of skills needed to care for today's collections and content and on developing those skills with limited resources. Includes links to audio presentations and PDF documents on preservation, training, partnerships, volunteers, and more.



• Guide to Online Resources: Prepare for and Respond to Emergencies
  
  These two subsections of the larger Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action Guide to Online Resources (companion to the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf) point to trusted resources specifically relating to disaster preparation and response.



• Getting Ready in Indian Country
  
  Launched in late 2010, this Heritage Preservation initiative is designed to advance emergency preparedness for tribal cultural heritage. The free website includes a report, an online inventory of disaster resources, and preparedness discussion questions for tribal gatherings, workshops, or staff meetings.



• 24-Hour Disaster Assistance
  
  Created by Heritage Preservation and Heritage Emergency National Task Force. A linked list of regional conservation and preservation organizations available to offer free technical assistance and information to cultural institutions and the public throughout the United States about salvaging their collections and family treasures.



• Selected Links to Preservation Websites
  
  Presented by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) Preservation Section. An annotated list of general preservation links, cooperative and regional preservation groups, and preservation newsletters.



• Training Tools
  
  Created by the California Preservation Program. Features disaster training, training for staff and student workers, educating the public, technical information, ongoing training programs.



• Preservation and Archives Professionals
  
  Presented by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Features many layers of information, such as guidelines on maintenance and storage, preservation and disaster recovery, conservation, technical practice, and more.

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Last updated on: October 24, 2022