THANK YOU to the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) and the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) for the opportunity to distribute 8 Collections Recovery Kits to our COSTEP MA community! Made possible by their Emergency Microgrant program.
COSTEP MA Exec Board invited interested cultural institutions to complete the following:
- 1. Subscribe to our Email list.
- 2. Create a listing in the Mass Emergency Management Agency’s Cultural Heritage Facilities Survey (arcgis.com).
- 3. Write a short note (at least 1 paragraph) to COSTEP MA about your institution’s disaster risks and how the disaster kit may help. To post it on our blog, photographs welcome.
- 4. Join at least 1 COSTEP MA Exec Board meeting to say hello.
Our first awardee that satisfied the requirements is Holbrook Public Library! Thank you and Congrats! Below is their note about their disaster risks and how the Kit may help.
Their Assistant Director writes:
The Holbrook Public Library building is a mid-century brick building that is starting to show signs of age. This year, the library is seeing some much-needed upgrades in the form of a new roof and new windows, but concerns about flooding persist, especially on the basement level. Earlier this year, a blocked exterior drain led to torrential rain entering our meeting room, costing the library thousands of dollars in repair and cleanup. The basement has also experienced flooding related to plumbing issues.
When it comes to responding to these recurring issues, the library is still somewhat unprepared and in need of help. The Recovery Kit would provide our staff with PPE to respond to floods more safely, equipment to redirect water away from important materials, and proper cleaning tools to respond to a flood situation – none of which are currently available to us.
The attached photographs document some of our common flood areas and issues.
