[PADG:998] RE: not just wet books...

["Lathrop, Janice M." <jmlathrop1@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi Cathy,

 

If you'll permit a comment from a Former preservation poohbah, I'd like to weigh in on this.  I wrote disaster plans for Marquette and worked to revise the plan at Emory.  I also taught lots of disaster preparedness and response workshops all over the place.  In all cases, I included emergency health situations in the range of possible scenarios for which library staff should be prepared.  Many states have good samaritan laws, and it's important to include discussion about when and to what extent a library staff person should attempt to render aid in the case of an emergency.  For example, if there's a fire in a multi-story building, elevators are not functioning, and you know there is a disabled person in a wheelchair on an upper floor, it's critical that staff know the extent of their responsibilities.  Should staff members attempt to carry the disabled person down the stairs?  What if they cause injury, or are injured themselves in the process?  Similarly, if someone has a heart attack in the library, should we expect a staff member to perform CPR?  It's often not clear-cut, and in an increasingly litigious society, it's important for the individual and the institution to have clear guidelines about this.

 

In every case I recall, library staff and administration agreed that staff should not take on this responsibility, but should instead call security or 911.  In every case having the discussion, and raising these uncomfortable, but essential issues was seen as a significant and important step in correct response to emergency or disaster situations.

 

I'll look forward to seeing what others are thinking about all of this.  Thanks for raising the issue.

 

Janice Mohlhenrich Lathrop

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-padg@xxxxxxx [mailto:owner-padg@xxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Cathleen Martyniak
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 5:30 PM
To: padg@xxxxxxx
Subject: [PADG:994] not just wet books...

All,

 

I know many of us have written disaster plans that outline what we should to do when there has been a fire and some books get wet or there is an outbreak of mold after a rainy weekend.  But how many of us have an 'emergency' plan that addresses what to do when there is a suspicious duffel bag left in the Lobby? Or mysterious white powder is found on the top of the circ desk one morning?  Or what if a employee who was recently let go comes into the staff lounge with a loaded weapon?  What happens if your network security is hacked and every computer in your systems becomes corrupted? How do staff in wheelchairs on 2nd floor and above get out of the building when the elevators are turned off in a fire situation?

 

Do you have such an 'emergency' plan at your Library?  Is your 'damaged library materials' plan (what we Preservation folk traditionally think of as a disaster plan) integrated with the 'emergency' plan?  Or are they separate?  Are you, as the Preservation Administrator, responsible for both?  If not you, who??  Possibly the Human Resources officer?

 

Any URL's or information you can provide would be most appreciated.  I will summarize for the list if there is sufficient interest.

 

Thanks,

Cathy

 

Cathleen L. Martyniak

Head, Preservation Department

Smathers Libraries

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL 32611

352-392-6962 (voice)

352-392-6597 (fax)

cathy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx