Please tell us how you plan to spread the word or participate at some level in MayDay 2019 activities by posting a note below or sending an email to mayday@archivists.org. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Please tell us how you plan to spread the word or participate at some level in MayDay 2018 activities by posting a note below or sending an email to mayday@archivists.org. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Please tell us how you plan to spread the word or participate at some level in MayDay 2017 activities by posting a note below or sending an email to mayday@archivists.org. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Please tell us how you plan to spread the word or participate at some level in MayDay 2016 activities by posting a note below or sending an email to mayday@archivists.org. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation: (FAIC) MayDay encourages cultural organizations to take one simple step to protect the art, artifacts, records, books, and historic sites they hold in trust. FAIC is collecting examples of creative but practical MayDay measures to share online. Any cultural institution submitting a brief description of their 2016 MayDay plans or accomplishments by May 31, 2016, will be entered in a drawing for disaster supplies donated by Gaylord Brothers. FAIC will also offer the award-winning Field Guide to Emergency Response and Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel at special MayDay prices from April 1 through May 31. Visit www.conservation-us.org/shop to access the sale publications.
Archiving Tomorrow 2016: "Archives at Risk." June 2-3, 2016, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, Ireland. This special two-day world conference will highlight the single most important issue facing audiovisual archives today—saving the precious, endangered audiovisual world heritage before it is too late. Join experts for an invaluable information-packed event. Network, debate, discuss the issues, and learn about opportunities, strategies, and case-study solutions. Early-bird registration ends May 13.
The Georgia Archives will offer an overview seminar of the IPER Essential Records course on Tuesday, April 26, from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm at The Georgia Archives. See the flyer and registration form for more details. Registration, which includes lunch, is $10 and due by April 22.
The Ohio History Connection Archives/Library has developed an informational flow chart poster for storage areas to help archival and non-archival staff members respond more effectively to water infiltration situations. The poster was designed to help the initial discoverer of an issue assess the situation and determine the most appropriate course of action, including who needs to be contacted. A companion informational pamphlet was also compiled that explains how to respond to water-related problems in more detail. Topics covered include: basic safety precautions, a phone tree, basic handling and care of water damaged/sodden materials, and additional preservation/disaster recovery resources.
Cape May County Archives has just approved the accessioning of a small private collection of records from the South Seaville Camp Meeting Association, which has a long history in their county. Their MayDay 2016 project is to process this collection quickly so it can be moved from the staging area to a more secure storage site.
The University of Maryland Libraries, in conjunction with Preservation Week 2016, shared its new digital restoration of the rare Franco Zeffirelli film, Florence: Days of Destruction (1966).
Please tell us how you plan to spread the word or participate at some level in MayDay 2015 activities by posting a note below or sending an email to mayday@archivists.org. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Please tell us how you plan to spread the word or participate at some level in MayDay 2013 activities by posting a note below or sending an email to mayday@archivists.org. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Perris Valley Museum Historical Archives
Archives Director, Christina Alanne Perris, reported that this was the first year her institution was participating in MayDay. Their region of Southern California, now know as "the official tornado alley of Southern California" received two distructive tornadoes in 2012. They planned on implementing a tornado disaster response plan developed for the Perris Valley Museum Historical Archives to evaluate its effectiveness in getting staff and patrons safely into “safe zones” within our facility, and how to secure down the most sensitive parts of their collections from storm-related damage. They will be timing the evacuation sequence to see how long it takes and will follow up with a discussion session to see how and where improvements need to be made to ensure the most can be done to help their facility.
Popular ERS App Now Available for BlackBerry
The popular ERS: Emergency Response and Salvage phone app is now available for BlackBerry users. In April 2012, Heritage Preservation, in partnership with the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, released its Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel as a free app for Apple devices running iOS 5.1 or later. Since its release, ERS has been downloaded from the App Store more than 1,700 times. Now, the app is available for BlackBerry users and can be downloaded through BlackBerry World. The app is also available for Android devices through Google Play. All versions are free.
Celebrating MayDay In the [FSU] Archives
This month Blue Shield Australia, the cultural equivalent of the Red Cross, is running its annual MayDay campaign, promoting disaster planning and awareness amongst libraries, archives, galleries, museums, local history groups, and other collecting institutions.
Please tell us how you helped to spread the word or participated at some level in MayDay 2012 activities by posting a note below or sending an email to mayday@archivists.org. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Illinois State Archives
Springfield, IL
Director Dave Joens reported that the Illinois State Archives annually conducts MayDay activities. This year, the Archives brought in Michael Grim, Chief of Emergency Operations for the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, to discuss emergency preparedness at both work and home. Mr. Grim gave two fifteen-minute presentations to staff and distributed handouts. The state archives’ MayDay activities are always highlighted in the newsletter of the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board.
Denver Public Library
Denver, CO
Abby Hoverstock reported that the Denver Public Library celebrated MayDay by distributing Pocket Emergency Contact Lists and Emergency Quick Reference Guides to each of the library's 25 branches and to over 20 offices and departments in the system's Central branch!
James Rogers and Abby Hoverstock, Senior Librarians in the Western History/Genealogy Department, have been working on creating a disaster plan for the department for over a year. After they created guides for their department, they decided to encourage colleagues throughout the library system to adapt the Pocket Guide template (courtesy of Heritage Preservation's Alliance for Response) to their departments and branches. They also designed and created colorful, spiral-bound Emergency Quick Reference Guides for staff at the Central building and modified a version for use at all the library's branches. (See image.)
Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives, Illinois State University
Normal, IL
University Archivist April Anderson writes about planned MayDay exercises trumped by a real mini-disaster on her archives blog: http://my.ilstu.edu/blogs/aander2/2012/05/03/the-best-laid-plans/. Instead of identifying "treasures" at the ISU Archives and storing them to ensure survival should a tornato strike, she had to handle a leak in the stacks.
National Snow and Ice Data Center, Univeristy of Colorado
Boulder, CO
According to Allaina Wallace, Librarian and Analog Data Archivist, the Data Center reviewed and updated their emergency manual and inventoried their two emergency grab buckets. The archives collections were recently consolidated from three different spaces into one repurposed space. Thus, changes in location needed to be made this year. They also discovered that one of their emergency grab buckets had a crack in the bottom and needed to be replaced. They also changed the batteries in the flashlights.
National Archives and Records Administration
College Park, MD
Jane Long, NARA National Preservation Program Officer, and Aimée Primeaux, NARA Preservation Programs Officer, reported that Preservation Programs at the National Archives created a poster to hang near doors and telephones in the stacks at its 44 locations. "Records Emergency! What Should I Do?" lists the four critical steps to take if records are at risk. The sign has been sent to all facilities as an e-poster and can be customized for contact information and printed in two sizes. NARA celebrates MayDay every year.
C. Benton Kline, Jr. Special Collections and Archives
Decatur, Georgia
Archivist Chris Paton reported that the special collections and archives "checked the server room to be sure that our servers were housed off the floor, and used a modular pallet to raise one of our regular staff computers off the floor. It was a timely thing to do, given that the room adjacent to the server room experienced a minor flood on April 30. (All is now well in both rooms)." As a small archives with little space and challenged to find pallets that fit and store easily, Paton happily discovered - during 2011 MayDay efforts - that Hi & Dri modular storage pallets were "affordable, easily stored because they break down into their components, and very functional." The archives uses them to to keep a very large portrait from contact with the floor and have used them for temporary storage of incoming and outgoing collections.
The Archiphotovist
Washington, DC
Anne McDonough, of Anne McDonough Photography, publicized MayDay on her blog, The Archiphotovist, noting a few simple steps personal collectors can take to preserve their vital records as well as family heritage. Direct link: http://www.archiphotovist.com/2012/05/01/may-day-may-day/.
Heritage Preservation
Washington, DC
Every year Heritage Preservation encourages libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and preservation organizations to set aside May 1 to participate in MayDay. This year, make sure your institution is prepared!
Heritage Preservation is collecting examples of the simple preparedness steps that cultural organizations are undertaking this spring. It's easy to be a part of MayDay. Last year participants held fire safety sessions, stockpiled emergency supplies, and updated disaster plans. Any cultural institution submitting a brief description of its 2012 MayDay plans or accomplishments by May 31, 2012, will be entered in a drawing for disaster supplies donated by Gaylord Brothers.
Heritage Preservation will also offer its award-winning Field Guide to Emergency Response and Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel at special MayDay prices from April 1 through May 31. In addition, each week in May, Heritage Preservation will post disaster preparedness tips on its Facebook page.
Visit Heritage Preservation’s MayDay site for project ideas, information on prizes, and the book sale. All activities hosted by Heritage Preservation for MayDay 2012 are sponsored by Rapid Refile.
NEW! Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel: Now a Mobile Application Heritage Preservation's Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel is now available free of charge on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad as the "ERS: Emergency Response and Salvage" app. Apple users can download this free app from the App Store by searching for "ERS: Emergency Response and Salvage" or clicking here. To download, your device must run iOS 5.1 or later. Complete technical requirements are available on the ERS page at the App Store.
Blue Shield Australia
Melbourne, Victoria
For its MayDay 2012 campaign, Blue Shield Australia is organising a series of free regional workshops around Australia, to promote local co-operative agreements around disaster preparedness, planning, response and recovery. The aim of these workshops is to build networks, including emergency response personnel, where they do not exist presently and to examine existing network models so that they may be adapted for adoption in other regions. Workshop details. Press release.
Please tell us how you helped to spread the word or participated at some level in MayDay 2011 activities by posting a note below or sending an email to mayday@archivists.org. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Heritage Preservation
Washington, DC
Every year Heritage Preservation encourages archives, libraries, museums, and arts and historic preservation organizations to set aside May 1 to participate in MayDay. This year make sure your institution is prepared!
Heritage Preservation is collecting examples of the simple preparedness steps that cultural organizations are undertaking this spring. It's easy to be a part of MayDay; last year participants held fire safety sessions for staff and volunteers, stockpiled emergency supplies, and started or updated disaster plans. Any cultural institution submitting a brief description of its 2011 MayDay plans or accomplishments by May 23, 2011, will be entered in a drawing for disaster supplies donated by Gaylord Brothers.
Heritage Preservation will also offer its award-winning Field Guide to Emergency Response and Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel at special MayDay prices from April 18 through May 31.
Visit www.heritagepreservation.org/programs/tflessons/MayDay.html for project ideas, information on prizes and the publications sale, and customized versions of the MayDay logo for publicizing this national event.
SAA's Preservation Section / National Archives and Records Administration
Chicago, IL / Washington, DC
The National Archives and SAA’s Preservation Section have collaborated to create an e-poster celebrating Preservation Week 2011. They encourage sharing the 8 1/2" x 11" color poster with staff and the general public, celebrating the opportunity for libraries, archives, and other cultural institutions to connect to our communities through events, activities, and resources that highlight what we can do, individually and together, to preserve our personal and shared collections. See the Preservation Section's website for more information.
The following groups and repositories notified us that they helped to spread the word or participated at some level in MayDay 2010 activities. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Archival Products
Des Moines, IA
Archival Products, a Division of LBS, tweeted about various activities around the country such as the Library of Congress, heritage preservation, and various state library and museums. The effort provided three reference videos to its web site including “Creation of Preservation Enclosures,” “How to Sew Pamphlet and Music Binders,” and “How to Use Four Flap Enclosures.” Also available were workshop materials.
Blue Shield Australia
Melbourne, Victoria
The 2010 BSA MayDay campaign has been very successful, with information disseminated via e-lists and publications to more than 5,000 individuals and organisations working in the cultural heritage sector. The highlight of this year’s campaign was a very successful symposium at the National Library of Australia in Canberra that BSA co-hosted with DISACT. This event, entitled Disaster Proofing Heritage Collections, attracted over 100 participants and was opened by Senator Kate Lundy and the Director General of the National Library Jan Fullerton. BSA’s new website was launched at this event – you can see it at http://www.blueshieldaustralia.org.au/, and BSA is now also using Facebook to communicate relevant information to the cultural heritage sector (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Shield-Australia/316266557776?v=wall&ref=search). A number of organisations have contacted BSA to advise us what they did to mark MayDay, and we have been able to distribute prizes provided by two sponsors to some of these MayDay campaign participants. We are pleased with this result and will be looking at ways to build on this in next year’s campaign.
Gaylord Brothers
North Syracuse, NY
[www.gaylord.com]
Heritage Preservation and the Heritage Emergency Task Force
Washington, D.C.
Hill Memorial Library, Special Collections Department at Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
"On May 26, 2010, the Special Collections Department at Louisiana State University’s Hill Memorial Library will host a day-long 'Retreat to Advance' for employees to work on disaster response and workplace safety in preparation for the 2010 hurricane season. During the first week of September 2008, Hurricane Gustav hit ground becoming the worst storm on record in Baton Rouge's history. Though Gustav was not as devastating as the 2005 storms (Katrina and Rita), it revealed the vulnerabilities of areas within the state previously believed to be relatively secure. Most facilities on LSU's campus remained unaffected, but it helped refocus general university efforts on hazard awareness and emergency preparedness. The retreat followed an unremarkable 2009 storm season. However, 2010 is forecast as an above-average year for intense and frequent storms, so it appears that the timing could not be better to assess policies and procedures and have some idea of what to do in a worst-case scenario. After all, good fortune does not necessarily last forever, particularly in a state as prone to natural disasters and man-made 'accidents' as Louisiana."
"The retreat was part workshop and part overdue maintenance. Employees were divided into work teams following a schedule of sessions that focused on different aspects of emergency response. Though the underlying motivation for the retreat was hurricane preparedness, participants also cleaned work areas and public spaces, identified trash and furniture to be discarded or surplused, and determined the disposition of unidentified collections and materials. At the end of the day the groups reassembled to discuss what they learned, what they accomplished, and what recommendations they had for updating emergency polices and procedures. It gave everyone in Special Collections an opportunity to voice any existing concerns and assume a stake in how the workplace is managed. More importantly, it helped ensure that everyone is on the same page in the unfortunate event that the worst-case scenario plays out."
– Brad Wiles, Manuscript Archivist, Hill Memorial Library
LYRASIS Preservation Services
Atlanta, GA; Philadelphia, PA; Southborough, MA
National Archives and Records Administration
College Park, MD
Oregon Museums Association
Portland, OR
[MayDay 2010 News] [www.oregonmuseums.org]
Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies at The University of Georgia
Athens, GA
"The library participated in the first annual Asian Pacific Heritage Month Symposium, "WE ARE AMERICA: ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS IN THE U.S. SOUTH," at the National Archives branch in Morrow, Georgia. The symposium focused on the experience and history of Asian and Pacific Islanders living in the South and drew representatives from many community organizations. The Russell Library prepared a presentation on keeping history that suggested strategies for families and organizations to collect and protect their records, artifacts, and stories. Jan Levinson and Jill Severn represented the Russell at the event and developed a range of handouts on taking care of scrapbooks, photographs, and film and video. They also distributed the SAA pamphlet on donating organizational records since so many organization leaders were present at the event. The planners of this event intend to make this event the first of many and the Russell Library looks forward to continuing participation."
– Jill Severn, Russell Library
Roger G. Barry Resource Office for Cryospheric Studies
Boulder, CO
Staff of the Roger G. Barry Resource Office for Cryospheric Studies (ROCS) at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) presented, “Water Emergency at ROCS!” at an all-staff meeting. The demonstration illustrated the type of damage that can occur if even a small-water event is not managed correctly. About one inch of water was poured into a plastic tub. Books were placed on the bottom of the tub, and others were placed on a wire basket above the water line. All were lightly sprinkled with water. A lid was placed on the tub and a blanket covered it to keep out light. This set up simulated a room that would remain closed and free of light over a period of days, for example a four-day weekend.
Four days later, the presentation was delivered, and by this time, all of the water had been absorbed by the books and mold formed. At the start of the presentation, a second bucket was poured over dry books. About one inch of water was left in that bucket—demonstrating how quickly the water was absorbed and the difference between rescuing recently wet books and rescuing books that were wet and moldy. Conversation also focused on photographs from the ROCS collection that had previously been involved in some unknown water event and are now stuck together, as well as the need for acting quickly to rescue collections, the various techniques (air drying, freeze drying, etc.) available to rescue wet materials, and emergency grab buckets.
Shelburne Museum
Shelburne, VT
Two members of the Shelburne Museum staff attended a day-long workshop that provided response and salvage training for the Vermont Emergency Response for Cultural Institutions team. One also participated in a two-day Community Emergency Response Team.
Last updated: March 16, 2011
The following groups and repositories notified us that they helped to spread the word or participated at some level in MayDay 2009 activities. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Archives and Library of Indiana University South Bend
"For this year’s MayDay, the Archives and Library of Indiana University South Bend...have put in place a policy to update our 2008 Disaster Plan every year on May 1st. This past year we had a staff training workshop with conservators and hands-on activities on basic paper and book preservation measures. In the coming year, we’d like to do thorough fire drills and preparedness in partnership with the campus police and the city fire department."
—Alison Stankrauff, Archivist and Assistant Librarian, Franklin D. Schurz Library
Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records
Phoenix, AZ
"In Arizona, we're reading the agency disaster preparedness manual. Amazing how this falls through the cracks! Not surprising that new people don't know about it. Some folks who've been here for some time don't know about it! Better to have some idea what to do BEFORE disaster. Like, where to meet in case of a fire.
Also, the IT department is going through the building looking for electrical stuff on the floor that would short out in case of a water leak/flood. I picked this because it's a pet peeve and I broke my own rule -- the surge protectors under my desk are on the floor (although all the equipment is elevated).
Having seen the Mississippi coast after Katrina, I can't tell you how passionate I am about this."
—Richard Pearce-Moses; Deputy Director for Technology and Information Resources; Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records
Australian Library and Information Association
Deakin, Australia
Blue Shield Australia
Adelaide, South Australia
Showcase of Collaborative Projects
Cape May County
Cape May, New Jersey
Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
FEMA
Washington, D.C.
Gaylord
North Syracuse, New York
Heritage Preservation
Washington, D.C.
Heritage Emergency National Task Force
IMLS: Connecting to Collections
Washington, D.C.
Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action
The Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
Level of Collections Emergency Scenarios
"To commemorate May Day, the Library of Congress has developed a disaster preparedness tool to aid archives, libraries, and museums in validating their emergency planning. Library staff have prepared a downloadable set of common collections emergency scenarios that will help institutions validate their emergency plans against different sets of contributing elements arranged in order of increasing urgency. Emergency teams and planners can use these scenarios to conduct 'table top' or 'talk-through' rehearsals that help identify response needs and challenges. See http://www.loc.gov/preserv/, 'What's New' after May 1. Note: The Library is busily loading this text on the Web right now."
The Library of Congress is also offering a Webinar on 'Finding Funds for Preservation for Archives, Libraries, and Museums,' by Diane Vogt-O'Connor, Chief of Conservation, Library of Congress on Tuesday, May 5th from 2- 3 pm. The Webinar describes grantfunding strategies and tactics, reviews funding sources and tools, and provides an overview of a free downloadable 125 page guide to preservation funding on the Library Website that describes almost 2,000 different grant funding sources of over $5,000 or more that anyone may use to fund preservation in their archives, library, or museum. Register to attend the free webinar at: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1584."
—Diane Vogt-O'Connor, Chief of Conservation, Library of Congress
New York State Archives / New York State Museum / New York State Library
Albany, NY
"As part of the national MayDay project to raise awareness of disaster planning and preparation for cultural institutions, the American Institute for Conservation has partnered with the American Association of Museums and Learning Times to offer this special online program: http://www.aam-us.org/getinvolved/learn/preparingfordisaster.cfm.
The New York State Archives, along with its partner institutions the New York State Museum and the New York State Library, has registered for this webinar and is encouraging attendance by Collection Stewardship Team members, Collections Response Team members, Emergency Coordination Team members, and Security supervisors."
—Marie Culver; Preservation Administrator; New York State Archives
State of Rhode Island Office of Library & Information Services Department of Administration
Providence, Rhode Island
University of Nevada Las Vegas, UNLV Libraries: Department of Special Collections, Lied Library
Las Vegas, Nevada
"This was our first year participating in MayDay activities. Conservator Michael Frazier and his staff in the Preservation/Conservation Laboratory within UNLV. Special Collections took advantage of the day to inventory, consolidate, and re-position the disaster recovery supplies in Lied Library. These items would be used to salvage library and archival materials in the case of an emergency recovery event such as a sprinkler head going off or a water pipe break within the library. Disaster recovery supplies included in this move were a wet-vac, electric fans, extension cords, drying rack, milk crates, freezer paper, plastic tarps, paper towels, absorbent pads, security tape, potable water containers, and protective gear. By repositioning this equipment within the Access and Delivery Services Department [Circulation] on the first floor, library personnel now have easy access to supplies they would need in responding to an emergency.
Frazier conveyed this information to all library staff in a library-wide email, as well as to the UNLV Preservation/Conservation website, and Manuscripts Librarian Su Kim Chung publicized the event on the UNLV Special Collections' Facebook Page, along with a link to the SAA website on MayDay 2009.
For pictures of the activity, go to: http://www.library.unlv.edu/speccol/preserv_conserv
/preservation_activities/mayday2009.html."
—Su Kim Chung, Manuscripts Librarian, Special Collections
Last updated: November 9, 2010
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The following groups and repositories notified us that they helped to spread the word or participated at some level in MayDay 2008 activities. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Phoenix, Arizona
"This year, we used MayDay to ensure that we had up-to-date emergency contact information for all our employees." Example Information Form
—Richard Pearce-Moses, Deputy Director for Technology and Information Resources
Australian National Committee of the Blue Shield (ANCBS), Collections Council of Australia
Adelaide, South Australia
Disaster Planning for Cultural Collections [PDF]
British Virgin Island Archives and Records Management
Heritage Preservation
Washington, D.C.
Heritage Emergency National Task Force MayDay info
Oregon Health and Science University Library
Portland, Oregon
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Portland, Oregon
The Oregon Historical Society Research Library held a MayDay Disaster Response Workshop workshop on May 1, 2008, at the Oregon Historical Society's Madison Room in Portland and sponsored by the Disaster Response Group of the Portland Area Library System and the Oregon Library Association Preservation Roundtable. The group offered templates for those just beginning a disaster plan, encouraged groups to share plans with others, and included information about local resources and training opportunities.
—Sawna Gandy, Reference Archivist
Yolo County Archives
Woodland, CA
Last updated: November 9, 2010
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The following groups and repositories notified us that they helped to spread the word or participated at some level in MayDay 2007 activities. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Australian National Committee of the Blue Shield (ANCBS), Collections Council of Australia
Adelaide, South Australia
“I write to you both now to thank you for your generous support of the proposal I put to you only a few days ago - that the Australian National Committee for the Blue Shield (ANCBS) use the MayDay idea in Australia.
On 26 April we made the adapted MayDay information live on the Collections Council of Australia website. This included use of all of the logos Lawrence kindly provided to us….
[The MayDay page is located on the Blue Shield homepage under Projects > Current > Second Announcement. However, we have also linked to it from our Events page in two places - as 'MayDay! MayDay! MayDay!' and as the first event on the 'May - a special month for collections' page. The Collections Council also happened to release its e-Bulletin #15 on 27 April 2007, so it contains a reference to MayDay as well. To subscribe to this occasional e-Bulletin please go to e-Bulletin under Tell Us on the Collections Council's homepage]…..
MayDay is the first ANCBS announcement which has been distributed to all the collections sector list-servs / e-Bulletins that the Collections Council uses to distribute sector-wide information….
The Collections Council was established to provide nation-wide coordination for collecting organisations in Australia. Our strategic plan was released in July 2006. One of the key projects that the Collections Council is on the verge of promoting is a system of support to regional collections. If we are successful in securing government support for this 10-year (establishment) scheme, it will provide the perfect conduit for channelling such campaigns as MayDay in the future
Thank you for taking the initiative in creating MayDay, and for being so generous in your support of the ANCBS in promoting the campaign for Australia."
—Veronica Bullock, Development Officer
Council of State Archivists (CoSA)
Iowa City, IA
The Henry Ford
Dearborn, MI
"As part of May Day 'Saving Our Archives' activities, the conservation staff of The Henry Ford organized a hands-on disaster preparedness workshop for the staff of the Ford Motor Company archives. Here The Henry Ford’s paper conservator Minoo Larson demonstrates the proper method for handling damaged film negatives to Elizabeth Adkins, director of Ford’s Global Information Management. Adkins is president of the Society of American Archivists."
—Kate Storey, Public Relations
Heritage Preservation
Washington, D.C.
"Staff at Heritage Preservation filled in the Council of State Archivists' Pocket Response Plan template with staff emergency contact information (each staff person has two copies) and updated the off-site records of articles of incorporation, insurance coverage, and inventory."
King County Archives
Seattle, WA
Illinois State Archives
Springfield, IL
“The Illinois State Archives joined other archives, libraries, museums, and historic preservation organizations across the country on May 1 in observing MayDay, an annual national event focusing on disaster preparedness and emergency response. The Society of American Archivists began MayDay in 2006 as a way for archivists and other cultural heritage professionals to think about disaster preparedness.
Archives staff members participated in a variety of activities, including rereading the Archives' Internal Disaster Recovery Plan, taking note of the location of fire exits and fire extinguishers, and participating in an evacuation drill. In addition, new emergency evacuation warden signs have been placed throughout the building.”
—Elaine Shemoney Evans, Illinois State Archives
Lane Community College, Archives and Records Management
Eugene, OR
“…I wanted to send an update on our May Day "Red Bag" lunch. We invited people from the college community to a casual lunchtime discussion of procedures in the face of a records emergency. We set up a display of various pamphlets, books, the Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel, and damaged materials.
We started with a definition of what constitutes a records emergency or disaster. We broke it down into three types of disasters: environmental, technical, and security. This led to into a general discussion of concerns, questions, and ideas. Then, we gave participants a tour of the Archives, showing them where we keep our first aid kits, fire extinguishers, alarms, flashlights, and emergency supply kits. We reviewed the importance of updating phone numbers, the employee emergency manual, and the locations of exits and alarms. Then we discussed some best practices for records storage, such as not keeping boxes on the floor, keeping records in boxes or file cabinets, and identifying critical records with brightly colored stickers. We provided suggestions for where participants could access information at the local, state, and national level, as well as resources such as the Library of Congress, NEDCC, and Solinet websites. Finally, we talked about electronic records and some special considerations for digital preservation.
We were encouraged to do another lunchtime discussion for those who couldn't make it. We are considering it, but focusing on specific types of disasters (environmental, technical, and security).”
—Tiah Edmunson-Morton, Processing Archivist
Litchfield Historical Society
Litchfield, CT
"At the Litchfield Historical Society, we have a "back room" and a smaller room with air handlers in it that turned into catch-alls for everything we were saving because we thought we might use it again- lots of empty boxes, craft supplies, broken electronic equipment etc. The director, curator, and archivist decided to use MayDay as an opportunity to rid ourselves of this potential hazard, and we cleaned all day. We hauled out truckloads of stuff, some to Goodwill, some to the dump, and at least 10 pounds of dust. Attached are photos of the piles we removed and the cleaned up spaces. We have reclaimed our collections workspace, and found room for the interns coming this summer to work on any number of projects. Additionally, our administrative assistant/ gift shop manager updated and reprinted our Emergency Manual for each employee.
We (and our collections) thank you for the MayDay idea!"
—Linda Hocking, Curator of Library and Archives
Saint Michael's College
Colchester, VT
"At Saint Michael’s College, we used the [2006] occasion to hold a long overdue meeting of our Disaster Committee. At the meeting, we decided that we would use the May 1 date as our disaster plan annual update date. We also decided that we would do an annual disaster/emergency training/update/in-service at the library staff meeting that falls closest to May 1 next year."
—Elizabeth B. Scott, Archivist
Shelburne Museum
Shelburne, VT
Syracuse University, Archives and Records Management
Syracuse, NY
"Sent to over 300 records coordinators at the university:
ARM Memo #8: MayDay – Are you prepared for a disaster?
MayDay is a day set aside each year when records professionals do something to help preserve our documentary heritage. This year your University Archives is contacting you to remind you about being prepared for potential disasters.
We all know about the consequences of major disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, but not all disasters get publicized to that extent. Did you know, for example, that we ourselves experienced a water disaster in 1999, caused by the accidental breaking of a sprinkler head during a renovation? Hundreds of boxes of records were damaged, but quick work ensured that almost all the contents were saved. Do you know where to turn off the water if there’s a plumbing mishap in your area? We do now.
Disasters can be large or small – unintentional or intentional – water-based or fire. Don’t think that any SU office is immune. We know of one office (thankfully not here) where a minor roof leak just happened to drip onto the filing cabinet housing Board records and someone had inadvertently left the file drawer open.
So here’s our MayDay recommendation to you as employees who have records in your custody. Take a few minutes today and look over your office area. If you see any potential safety problems take steps to correct them. If you have records stored where there is any chance of possible water damage, move them to a safer location. Try not to store in basements or damp areas. Follow records retention guidelines and destroy obsolete records so you only have to protect records with current value.
While most of the records in SU offices will eventually be destroyed, some do have historical value however and will end up in the University Archives as testament to the work we all do today."
—Edward L. Galvin, Director, Archives and Records Management
Last updated: November 9, 2010
The following groups and repositories notified us that they helped to spread the word or participated at some level in MayDay 2006 activities. Thanks for helping to save our archives!
Heritage Preservation’s Heritage Emergency National Task Force: The Heritage Emergency National Task Force was formed in 1995 to help libraries and archives, museums, historical societies, and historic sites better protect their collections and buildings from natural disasters and other emergencies. The Task Force promotes preparedness and mitigation and provides expert information on response and salvage to institutions and the public. Sponsored by the nonprofit Heritage Preservation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Task Force is a partnership of 40 federal agencies and national service organizations. Together its members constitute a nationwide resource of information, expertise, and assistance. Read more at http://www.heritagepreservation.org/programs/tfmembr.htm
American Institute for Conservation
Archivists for Congregations of Women Religious
Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York
ARMA International
ARMA International Chapter, Midland, Texas
Association of Moving Image Archivists
Booth Western Art Museum
Carolinas Aviation Library
Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics
Council of State Archivists
Delaware Valley Archivists Group
Depot Museum
Electronic Commerce Coordinating Committee (EC3)
Gilmer County Historical Society
Illinois Wesleyan University
Indiana University South Bend, Franklin D Schurz Library
Kentucky State Historical Records Advisory Board
Lane Community College (Eugene, Oregon)
Library of Congress Preservation Directorate
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Nebraska State Historical Society
Ohio Preservation Council
Saint Michael’s College
SAA Preservation Section
Society of California Archivists
Society of North Carolina Archivists
Southern Labor Archives
Washington Conservation Group
Last updated: November 9, 2010