Disaster Planning for Special Libraries
Chandos Information Professional Series

Disaster Planning for Special Libraries contains a guide for developing and maintaining disaster plans for small special libraries and related work units.

This volume serves as a reference resource, not only for people who have never considered the disaster planning process, but also for experienced planners interested in a variety of approaches to different aspects of planning.

The author discusses the role of the special librarian in the planning process and considers the relationship between special libraries and their host organizations. He emphasizes the importance of coordinating a special library?s plan with any in place for its host organization, and encourages librarians to demonstrate their planning skills for organization-wide benefits.

Early chapters summarize the initial phases of the planning process, which include preparedness and response measures. Subsequent chapters cover the assessment of damage to special library facilities and assets, the implications of declaring a disaster, the development of strategic alliances with key suppliers, orientation and training, succession planning, operational resumption, the normalization of library operations, and auditing a disaster plan. The concluding chapter discusses concerns that special librarians might have with regard to the future and its risks.

Appendices include examples of a risk assessment and analysis and a risk mitigation program, a strike and protest plan, an emergency equipment inspection and audit report, a pandemic management program, and disaster response manager?s kit.

1. A disaster planner for your library
2. First challenges
3. Assessing risks to your library
4. Preparedness and risk mitigation
5. Emergency and disaster response
6. Assessing the damage
7. Event recognition, disaster declaration, and crisis management
8. Strategic alliances: Internal and external partners
9. Operational resumption, succession planning, and postdisaster workspace
10. Postdisaster concerns of library personnel
11. Normalization
12. Orientation and training
13. Auditing your disaster plan
14. Future concerns for special librarians: a personal view

Appendix 1: Risk assessment and analysis: the Library and Records Centre of a Financial Services and Investments firm in Vancouver, British Columbia
Appendix 2: Law firm library: risk mitigation program
Appendix 3: Western Petroleum Research Institute Library
Appendix 4: Emergency equipment inspection and audit report
Appendix 5: Corporate library pandemic management program
Appendix 6: Disaster response manager’s kit

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Guy Robertson is a senior instructor at Langara College, where he teaches library history, reference and readers’ advisory services, and records management. He is also an instructor in information security and risk management at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. He works as a consultant to organizations across North America, and has provided advice and services to libraries, archives, records centers, and museums in Europe and Asia. Mr. Robertson is noted for his research into book and manuscript theft, data loss and protection, and financial fraud and forgery. He has delivered keynote speeches, seminars, and workshops at conferences not only for librarians and archivists, but also for other professional and technical groups.