[PADG:1852] Re: FW: Disaster Recovery Contract---comment

[Olivia Primanis <primanis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>  > Bob Schnare and Susan Frampton> >  <<Disaster Recovery Contract 
>Revisions.doc>>
>  > Co-Chairs FLICC Preservation & Binding Working Group >
>Colleagues: We have compiled a Drafts of a Disaster Recovery 
>Contract which I am sending for your review before we post it on the 
>FLICC website. I welcome your suggestions as we want to make this a 
>model for federal libraries and others to use if it is ever needed.
>PLease send me your suggestions and comments.   Thank you.
>

The "Disaster Recovery Contract" is truly a substantial contribution 
to an area of disaster response that is very complex. Thank you so 
much for this helpful document.

I do have a comment- when I read through the document I felt that I 
had to choose one vendor !FAST! who would take care of all aspects of 
the disaster recovery operation- pack out, transport to a freezer, 
freezing, and drying of materials, etc., as well as the site clean up.

Although it is probably easier, and probably less expensive to hire 
one firm to address all the needed services after a disaster 
,actually one, two or even a few firms could  do the job. I know that 
there can be a lot of pressure on library staff to sign a contract 
immediately following a disaster. Vendors and library staff are 
acutely aware that damage to both the collections and the site really 
do need to be addressed quickly-- and the vendors want the business. 
Though, if library staff have not had a previous association with a 
vendor and can't get recommendations from colleagues quickly enough, 
they might contract with a vendor who is not able to do the best 
overall job. For instance, local firms can do a terrific job to 
stabilize building problems and provide the labor force to pack the 
contents of a building (sometimes needing guidance from knowledgeable 
staff); but the same firm may not have the expertise or the best 
process for drying books and paper. Especially in the event of a 
large disaster, there is always time after stabilizing collection 
materials, which will probably include freezing, to investigate 
drying processes.

I don't know exactly how you could incorporate this idea in your 
document, but I think that people should be aware that they can 
contract a vendor to complete only one or two parts of a recovery 
journey.

Thanks,
Olivia Primanis,
Senior Book Conservator
Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
tel. 512-471-9117




--