Public Librarians Response to Hurricanes: Lessons, Issues and Strategies

1
Public Librarians Response to Hurricanes
Lessons, Issues and Strategies

• Rebecca Hamilton
• State Librarian
• State Library of Louisiana

2
Lessons Learned

• Existing emergency plans are inadequate
• Business continuity was not a focus of library
  disaster planning
• Traditional lists of staff home phone numbers are
  inadequate
• Librarys role is to be a communications hub and
  to provide information

3
State Library Response

• Be central clearinghouse for information about
  libraries, for libraries and for library staff.
• Act as spokesperson to the national media for
  information about libraries in the state
• Coordinate donations and adoption services
• Provide whatever is needed technical support,
  staff, office space, website hosting, etc.
• Provide support and direction

4
State Library Support Direction

• Legislative auditor provided training in FEMA
  process
• Hosted SOLINET disaster planning workshop
• Established secure Extranet for public
  libraries to post disaster plans
• Compiled information for lawmakers on damages,
  costs of rebuilding, library needs...

5
Role of Public Libraries in their Communities

• Internet access help with computer use
• Food, phone, fax
• Listen and offer support
• Temporary cards
• Story hours at shelters
• Normalcy
• Distribution point for other relief agencies

6
Libraries are not essential services

• FEMA, Cameron Parish, 2006

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Public Libraries as First Responders

• Coordinate with local emergency mgt svs
• Be at the table in all local planning sessions
  before the disaster hits
• Promote what the library can do to help
• Portray yourself as a communications hub, not a
  book storehouse
• Have your own records in order.

8
Basic Library Records

• Payroll, timesheets
• Contact information, cell numbers, home numbers,
  PIN numbers, more numbers
• Inventory of your building, collections, etc.
• Copies of insurance policies
• Disaster recovery services contracts and
  agreements.

9
Gustav and Ike

• Three Years Later

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Everyone Better Prepared

• Contact information
• Web site ready-to-go
• Blog
• Backup server in Monroe
• New IT infrastructure

11
State Library IT Preparations

• The State Library systems never lost power.
• We were up when the rest of state government was
  down for 5 days.
• We had other state agencies and state officials
  sitting in our parking lot with laptops using our
  wireless connection.

12
IT Preparations Used

• Generator Power
• Server Room
• Backups
• Backup server
• Disaster website
• Wireless access

13
IT Preparations Not Used

• Matching servers so hardware was interchangeable
• Secured non-essential servers in closet
• Core services backed up identically on all
  servers
• Tape backups stored in safe, in closet and off
  site
• Inexpensive backup hard drive

14
Next Steps

• Portable generator to run laptops
• More functionality needed for backup server in
  Monroe
• Set up command center with cable, Internet,
  computers, phones, printer, etc.
• Develop pre-written press releases and media
  alerts for local media