An Ounce of Prevention: Integrated Disaster Planning for Archives, Libraries, and Record Centers [Paperback]

Fire, flood, earthquake, vandalism, a terrorist attack-the issues of safety measures, emergency response, and disaster recovery have now become an important part of the planning strategies for most organizations. For the information organization, such as a library, archives, or record center, this responsibility has taken on new dimensions with the proliferation of various forms of electronic media.

The authors take the approach that disaster recovery planning must touch every department of an organization and that emergency response must be a carefully mapped strategy. This broad-based approach to integrated disaster planning explains each phase of disaster planning, with chapters covering prevention planning, protection planning, preparedness planning, response planning, and recovery planning. The authors consider collections, records, facilities, and systems and include a chapter on post-disaster planning as well. The authors also cover federal and local assistance programs and list other sources for financial assistance. Although the main thrust of the book is the protection of documents, human safety in case of disaster is stressed explicitly and implicitly throughout.

Indispensible for every information organization.

Johanna Wellheiseris the manager of Prevention and Digitization Services Department at Toronto Public Library. She co-edited the first edition ofAn Ounce of Prevention, winner of the Society of American Archivists' Gifford Leland Award.Jude Scottis a writer and researcher specializing in projects for the Canadian heritage and cultural sectors.

This useful resource provides a comprehensive framework for libraries and other organizations interested in preventing and handling situations that may damage property or disrupt services. Medical Reference Services Quarterly

...a comprehensive guide to planning for disaster prevention, protection, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitalÓy