state library of louisiana & public libraries’ response to hurricanes: lessons, issues and...
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State Library of Louisiana & Public Libraries’ Response to Hurricanes: Lessons, Issues and Strategies. Rebecca Hamilton State Librarian State Library of Louisiana. Lessons Learned. Existing emergency plans are inadequate. Business continuity was not a focus of library disaster planning. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
State Library of Louisiana&
Public Libraries’Response to Hurricanes:
Lessons, Issues and Strategies
Rebecca HamiltonState Librarian
State Library of Louisiana
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. Library’s role is to be a
communications hub and to provide information.
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
State Library Support & Direction Legislative auditor provided training in
FEMA process; Hosted SOLINET (now LYRASIS) disaster
planning workshop; Established secure
Extranet for public libraries to post disaster plans; and
Compiled information for lawmakers on damages, costs of rebuilding, library needs.
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; and Distribution point for other relief agencies.
“Libraries are not essential services”
– FEMA, Cameron Parish, 2006
Public Libraries as First Responders
Coordinate with local emergency management services.
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 as a book storehouse. Have your own records in order.
Basic Library Records
Payroll, timesheets; Contact information, cell and landline
phone numbers, PIN numbers, more numbers;
Inventory of building, collections, property; Copies of insurance policies; and Disaster recovery services contracts and
agreements.
Gustav and IkeThree Years Later
Everyone Better Prepared
Contact information; Web site ready-to-go; Blog; Backup server in
Monroe; and New IT infrastructure.
State Library IT Preparations
The State Library systems never lost power.
We were up when the rest of state government was down for five days.
We had other state agencies and state officials sitting in our parking lot with laptops using our wireless connection.
IT Preparations: Used
Generator Power; Server Room; Backups; Backup server; Disaster website; and Wireless access.
IT Preparations: Not Used
1. Matching servers so hardware was interchangeable;
2. Secured non-essential servers in closet;3. Core services backed up identically on
all servers;4. Tape backups stored in safe, in closet
and off site; and5. Inexpensive backup hard drive.
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.
