How to use this book

If an emergency or disaster has occurred at your library and you do not have a plan, remember that your top priority is human safety. Your initial task might be to contact first responders – police, firefighters and paramedics.

If you have time, consult Figure 3.1, ‘Sample Emergency Response Plan brochure’ (see p. 23). You might also find the ‘Disaster Manager’s Kit’ in Appendix 4 useful. Do not attempt to study these items in depth while there is any immediate danger to you, your co-workers or anyone else in your library. Follow the directions of the first responders.

In normal circumstances, you can use the different chapters and appendices of this book to update your plan and to develop new material that is appropriate for your operations. Since much of the material herein is generic, you should adapt it so that it addresses your organization’s risk profile and site-specific requirements. Do not hesitate to set aside material that is irrelevant.

If you are responsible for compiling a new plan from scratch, you can study this book from beginning to end and extract the information that you need to complete a draft. Your disaster plan will be a living document in that it will never be finished or perfect. The need for revisions and enhancement will be constant, and there will always be reasons to work on your plan. As your organization changes, so must your plan. Thus, it is best to consider your plan a draft, and to be prepared to add, delete or rewrite material regularly.

You can keep this book – along with any others concerning related topics – on your planning shelf for future reference.