Abstract
Careful documentation of collections and disaster planning can allow a library to recover physical collections after events with the best possible outcomes for condition, materials costs, outreach, and librarian/staff workflows. This paper describes how the Howard‐Tilton Library at Tulane University (HTML) experienced a roof leak in February 2014 with attending need to manage the outsourced work of disaster recovery contractors for the remediation of more than 2,000 wet books, the reshelving of more than 20,000 displaced books, and the replacement of about 300 books within a two month period during the academic year. This paper describes successful methods of response, workflow considerations, and adaptations, as well as lessons learned. The paper concludes with recommendations about disaster policy implementation and includes an appendix with updated resources and a link to Tulane’s revised policy.
Recovering Wet Materials: Disaster Plans and Recovery Workflows
Careful documentation of collections and disaster planning can allow a library to recover physical collections after events with the best possible outcomes for condition, materials costs, outreach, and librarian/staff workflows. This paper describes how the Howard‐Tilton Library at Tulane University (HTML) experienced a roof leak in February 2014 with attending need to manage the outsourced work of disaster recovery contractors for the remediation of more than 2,000 wet books, the reshelving of more than 20,000 displaced books, and the replacement of about 300 books within a two month period during the academic year. This paper describes successful methods of response, workflow considerations, and adaptations, as well as lessons learned. The paper concludes with recommendations about disaster policy implementation and includes an appendix with updated resources and a link to Tulane’s revised policy.