Protecting Library & Archive Collections: Disaster Preparedness, Response & Recovery

Posted by nwsoadmin on August 27th, 2007 Posted in: News From NNLM PNR, Training & Education

---

The Western States and Territories Preservation Assistance Service (WESTPAS) is offering a series of disaster planning workshops in Oregon and Washington.

The “Protecting Library & Archive Collections” workshops are presented in a 2-part sequence to produce the following outcomes for disaster preparedness activities:

* Complete a disaster plan by the end of Part 2.
* Learn how to train staff to implement your plan effectively.
* Set pre- and post-disaster action priorities for your collections.
* Learn how to use practical decision-making skills during an
emergency.
* Experience salvage procedures for books, documents, and non-print
media.

Currently scheduled workshops include:

LA GRANDE, OREGON:
Part 1: Friday, September 21, 2007, 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
Part 2: Friday, October 26, 2007, 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
La Grande Public Library
2006 4th Street, La Grande, Oregon

KENNEWICK, WASHINGTON:
Part 1: Tuesday, September 25, 2007, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Part 2: Friday, November 30, 2007, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Mid-Columbia Library System
Kennewick Branch
1620 S. Union Street, Kennewick, WA 99338

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Part l: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Part 2: Friday, December 14, 2007
University of Washington
Odegaard Library (OUGL) 220
Seattle, WA. 98195

*Workshop instructors
OREGON: Kris Kern is the Preservation Librarian at
Portland State University and is chair of the Portland Area Library
System’s Disaster Recovery Group.

WASHINGTON: Gary Menges is Preservation Administrator at the
the University of Washington Libraries, Seattle.

Additional workshops will be held in Eugene in Fall 2007, in the Spokane area in 2008 and in Bend, Summer 2008. Workshops are also being scheduled in Alaska, Idaho, and other Western states.

The workshop days will be held several weeks apart. Participants will prepare short assignments prior to the first session; between sessions, they will undertake additional assignments resulting in a completed disaster plan at the end of Part 2. Upon completion, the institution will be invited to join an informal network of WESTPAS trained personnel to provide mutual aid in the event of emergencies involving collections in the region.

*Who should attend*: Administrators and staff responsible for emergency preparedness, response and decision-making, in all types of libraries and archives. By registering for the workshop, the institution commits to supporting the attendee(s) to achieve the workshop’s disaster preparedness goals. When possible, please send two attendees from a library or archive so they can work together on the disaster preparedness activities.

*Cost*: No charge to the institution. Funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Washington workshops are co-sponsored by the Oregon State Library and the Washington workshops by the Washington State Library and Washington State Archives.

*Registration*: Pre-registration is required. You will be able to register online.

To register go to:

http://westpas.org/courses.html and click on WESTPAS schedule of workshops and the specific workshop.

For registration assistance contact: Kathy Krause krause@plsinfo.org

Information about the individual workshops and registration information
for each workshops will be sent in separate email messages.