Effective Disaster Plans: Response, Mitigation, and Continuity

Mary M. Finley
California State University, Northridge

Every library needs a disaster plan.

• Disaster planning is for you as well as the library.
• Disaster statistics

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

• Examples

Planning considerations:

• What needs to be protected?
• What do they need to be protected from?
• What are you already doing to protect them-and what could you do?
  • Response plans
  • Mitigation
  • Continuity planning
• How long can the recovery period be?
• How much time and money can be spent to ensure that the library can function after a disaster?
• Can the library afford a disaster?

Once a library has a disaster plan:

• All employees need to be trained.
• Plans need to be reviewed and revised regularly.
• Learn from experience.
  • Your library's experience
  • Other libraries' experiences

Disaster planning for government documents

This presentation and supporting material are available on the internet at: http://library.csun.edu/mfinley/fdc.html

Page created and maintained by Mary M. Finley
Originally created 8 September 2001 as a handout for a conference presentation
Comments and Questions: mary.finley@csun.edu