This is the second post in the COSTEP MA blog series Disaster Diaries. Disaster Diaries shares stories from institutions across Massachusetts that have recently experienced a collections emergency or disaster. To contribute a post, email costepma@gmail.com. Written by Kathy Griffin, Nora Saltonstall Preservation Librarian, Massachusetts Historical Society. Water Leaks in the Time of Coronavirus As the … Continue reading Disaster Diaries: Water Leak at the Massachusetts Historical Society
COSTEP MA COVID-19 Resources page
Find out more about resources related to collections care, cleaning and isolation strategies for collections, lending procedures, disaster and emergency planning in the event of a building closure, financial assistance, and institutional responses during the current public health crisis: https://mblc.state.ma.us/costepma/index.php/cultural-institutions/mitigation/public-health-emergencies/
Save the date! COSTEP MA Virtual Tabletop Exercise on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 from 10am-12pm
Image credit: AIC/FAIC It's never too late to create, update, and rehearse a disaster plan. Whether it's facing a prolonged building closure, water in the reading room, or storm damage, having a disaster plan in place that is readily accessible and easy to follow will enable your institution to more effectively respond to disaster. COSTEP MA … Continue reading Save the date! COSTEP MA Virtual Tabletop Exercise on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 from 10am-12pm
MayDay webinars from C2CC: three actions you can take today to safeguard collections
Image credit: AIC/FAIC Today (May 1, 2020) is MayDay, an annual tradition started by the Society of American Archivists and Heritage Preservation that encourages actions your institution can take to safeguard your collections. Learn more about MayDay from SAA and from AIC/FAIC. And in the spirit of MayDay, below is information on two recorded webinars … Continue reading MayDay webinars from C2CC: three actions you can take today to safeguard collections
New Orleans in July: Call for Proposals for Emergency Planning in Libraries and Archives symposium
Hosted by the New Orleans College of Law Library & the Cardozo Law Library scheduled for July 10. Proposals are welcome on any part of the emergency and disaster planning process, from policy creation to implementation. Deadline for submission is January 31. The program committee invites submissions for 45 or 60 minute sessions on any … Continue reading New Orleans in July: Call for Proposals for Emergency Planning in Libraries and Archives symposium
Disaster Diaries: A Collections Emergency and Recovery recap from the Massachusetts Archives
This is the first post in the COSTEP MA blog series Disaster Diaries. Disaster Diaries will share stories from institutions across Massachusetts that have recently experienced a collections emergency or disaster. To contribute a post, email costepma@gmail.com. “Thunderstorms wreak havoc across Massachusetts, microburst halts Logan flights” Boston Herald, July 31, 2019 “Thousands without power as … Continue reading Disaster Diaries: A Collections Emergency and Recovery recap from the Massachusetts Archives
Free webinar: Non-Traditional Facilities and Emergencies
FEMA is hosting a webinar on August 27th at 12pm EDT that will cover how non-traditional facilities serve communities during disasters: Join FEMA Region II this month to learn about the role non-traditional facilities like libraries and senior centers play in emergencies. These public facilities in our communities can be powerful resources during disasters and … Continue reading Free webinar: Non-Traditional Facilities and Emergencies
The Emergency Management Community
The lessons learned in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in 2005 serve as evidence that it is crucial to align the emergency preparedness and response needs of cultural resources with those of the local, state, and federal emergency management communities. Although institution-level preparedness is essential, it may be insufficient for area-wide disasters. … Continue reading The Emergency Management Community
The Cultural Community
COSTEP MA defines cultural resources broadly to include artwork, museum artifacts, and library materials as well as archival, municipal, and institutional records, and important cultural entities in the community. After a disaster, what records will be crucial in getting your institution up and running again? After a disaster, what would we lose of our memories, our cultural … Continue reading The Cultural Community