ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2018 Preservation Section Meeting Schedule

The Preservation Section has an exciting program planned for Wednesday, August 15th at 4 PM. The heart of the program will be a panel on Transparency in Disaster Recovery:

Nicole Davis, Supervisory Archivist at the Museum of Flight, Seattle
Diane Wells, Archivist & Records Manager at the Diocese of Olympia
Presentation Title: With a Little Help from My Friends: Creating SHERN, an Emergency Response Network
Presentation Abstract: Archivists, librarians, and museum professionals in Seattle have banded together to form SHERN, the Seattle Heritage Emergency Response Network. SHERN helps archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, and other heritage organizations in Seattle respond to disasters affecting cultural resources and collections. The group is an active and dynamic professional network: members help each other by providing advice, support and/or actual recovery assistance, sharing supplies and collaborating on training opportunities. This presentation will emphasize the value of forming such a network and explain the steps that were taken to form SHERN.

Fletcher Durant, Preservation Librarian, University of Florida
Presentation Title: Communities and Contacts: Outreach to Heritage Sites Following a Disaster
Presentation Abstract: During the 2017 hurricane season, the Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF), the National Heritage Responders (NHR), the University of Florida (UF), and the University of Texas (UT) piloted a program to proactively reach out to libraries, archives, museums, and other heritage organizations potentially impacted by Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Irma across Florida to connect those organizations with needed FEMA resources and conservation guidance. Data was also collected to understand the impact of hurricanes Harvey and Irma on the regions. This paper will introduce the roles of the HENTF and NHR in the aftermath of disasters; discuss the use of freely available digital tools to facilitate a volunteer-led phone-banking project; share initial findings from the data collected; and reflect on some lessons to take into consideration for future projects and hurricane seasons. The session will provide the audience with a range of practical information on enacting their own phone-banking after local disasters, as well as an improved understanding of the statewide impact of Irma on cultural organizations.

Emilie Gagnet Leumas, PhD, CA, CRM, Director of Archives and Records, Archdiocese of New Orleans, chair of ICA Expert Group on Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness
Presentation Title: Recovery: A Decade of Lessons Learned Rebuilding an Archives Program
Presentation Abstract: Archival institutions plan for disasters through risk assessments, mitigation plans, emergency management, and disaster preparedness exercises. Initial responses to the catastrophe take place in the first 72 hours focusing on human safety, food, water and basic needs. Buildings are secured and salvage efforts begin. Volunteers are eager to help. The media shines a spotlight on the catastrophic event and photographs appear across social media. The world empathizes with the loss of life, culture and heritage. But, what happens in the years that follow? This presentation will focus on the decade following a disaster and the long road to full recovery. It will examine lessons learned, as well as the continued effort to protect cultural property in the aftermath of disasters.

Elizabeth Shepard, Associate Archivist, Medical Center Archives of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
Presentation Title: Managing Ongoing Water Disasters
Presentation Abstract: Many archives deal with ongoing water issues that can result in damage to collections. This presentation will discuss working with the facilities department to resolve water issues; including prevention strategies in disaster plans, and salvaging steps for water disasters.

The Section is also happy to share a Sched of talks and events related to preservation that can be found during the general meeting sessions: https://archives2018.sched.com/preservationsection

We look forward to seeing our members in DC!