Disaster/Emergency Assistance

Emergency!? Disaster !? What should I do?

Response Steps

1. Consult your disaster plan.
2. Contact the library's insurance agent.
3. Ensure that you have been given permission to access the building by the fire and/or police department(s) for safety reasons [if applicable].
4. Assess the extent of the damage with the insurance agent unless you are given permission to proceed without the agent.
5. Determine what action should be taken to recover the affected materials and what supplies are needed.
6. Make a decision as to whether you feel you can handle the situation alone or whether you need outside assistance.
7. If the amount of affected materials is not large,and the staff feels able to handle the salvage themselves, contact the nearest site listed below for recovery supplies (Rescubes and ReactPaks).
8. Using the supplies, library staff should proceed according to the procedures outlined in their disaster preparedness plan, if there is one. Otherwise, seek advice from the designated regional or Board staff.
9. Contact designated MBLC staff for telephone and/or on-site assistance.
10. If MBLC assistance is not available, call the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) at (978) 470-1010 (collect calls accepted) 24-hours-a-day for telephone and/or on-site assistance.

If the amount of damaged materials is substantial and beyond the capabilities of the library's staff, then designated MBLC or NEDCC staff can authorize a call to Polygon for packing, freezing, and drying the materials.

For Emergency Assistance call:

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

(617) 725-1860 or (800) 952-7403 (in-state)

If the above is not available then contact:

Northeast Document Conservation Center

(978) 470-1010 (collect calls accepted 24-hours-a-day).

Recovery Supplies are available at: