CELEBRATE MAYDAY 2009!

Take one step to help your institution prepare for a disaster.

Archives, libraries, museums, and arts and historic preservation organizations across America will set aside May 1, 2009, to participate in MayDay, a national effort to protect collections from disasters. Recent severe storms and flooding remind us that disasters can occur at any time and in any place. Take one simple step to protect the art, artifacts, records, and historic sites you hold in trust.

Visit Heritage Preservation's MayDay Web site to see who is doing what for MayDay 2009, download versions of the MayDay logo, browse our Bookstore sale, and get ideas for activities you can undertake, including:

Get to know your local firefighters and police and invite them to tour your institution. A poster outlining tips for working with emergency responders is available from Heritage Preservation.
Identify the three biggest risks to your collection or building (such as leaking water pipe, heavy snow, or power failure) and outline steps to mitigate them.
Join forces with nearby institutions and develop a protocol for helping each other in case of a disaster.
Identify and label priority collections and objects for evacuation during emergencies.

There's still time to submit your MayDay activity and be eligible for our prize drawing! Submit information about the MayDay activity at your institution and be entered in a drawing for disaster supplies donated by Gaylord Brothers. Four winners will be announced on June 1, the beginning of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. Brief descriptions of 2009 MayDay plans or accomplishments should be submitted to taskforce(a)heritagepreservation.org by May 22, 2009, to be eligible for prizes.

Sale! Heritage Preservation is offering its award-winning Field Guide to Emergency Response and Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel at special MayDay prices from April 15 through May 31. Visit our online Bookstore to take advantage of these great discounted items.

Share the News! Post MayDay information on your Web site or in a newsletter. A text version of our MayDay press release and variations on the MayDay logo are available on the Heritage Preservation Web site.

###

The Heritage Emergency National Task Force is a partnership of 40 government agencies and national service organizations formed in 1995. An initiative of Heritage Preservation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Task Force has helped to protect cultural heritage from the damaging effects of natural disasters and other emergencies. Find valuable disaster resources at the Task Force Web site, www.heritageemergency.org

For more than 30 years, Heritage Preservation has been the national, nonprofit advocate for the proper care of the objects and sites that embody our history and enrich our lives. Heritage Preservation partners with institutions, organizations, and concerned individuals who care about preserving our past.