Collection Disaster Plan

Part 1 - Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Policy

Section 2: Disaster Preparedness: Personnel

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2.1 Introduction

The Collections Disaster Coordinator and Preservation Services Staff are responsible for coordinating collection disaster preparedness. On a daily basis this involves close contact with Building and Security Services, Security and Collection Managers. The principle objectives of disaster preparedness are:

  • to ensure that appropriate equipment and materials are available to deal with any likely emergency
  • to know the main areas of risk and to take steps to minimise the risk or detect any problems as early as possible
  • to ensure Library staff are trained and prepared to take an appropriate role in any disaster reaction, response and recovery
  • to know the collections well
  • to know the collection storage areas well
  • to ensure good lines of communication with staff working in those areas, especially where the Exhibition Gallery is concerned.
  • to ensure good lines of communication with other key staff likely to be involved in disaster prevention, response and recovery

To ensure adequate collections disaster preparedness, a disaster response structure defining key personnel and groups has been created. The rest of this section presents the structure and responsibilities of key personnel.

2.2 Collection Disaster Response Structure

The National Library's collection disaster response structure consists of the following main groups and positions:

  • Collections Emergency Coordinator
  • Collections Disaster Coordinator
  • Emergency Planning Committee (EPC)
  • Collection Managers
  • Director and Registrar of Exhibitions
  • Preservation Services Staff
  • Salvage Teams: Library staff trained in disaster response and recovery

The Collections Disaster Chain of command structure is listed in Section 2.4.

2.2.1 Collections Emergency Coordinator

The Collections Emergency Coordinator is a member of the EPC and provides advice and information on the collections, including details of heritage and on loan material and maintains liaison at management level with other collecting institutions.

The Collections Emergency Coordinator ensures planning for storage of the collections incorporates disaster prevention mechanisms.

This person also provides advice on disaster prevention and recovery of the collections and prepares reports on disaster / emergencies as they relate to the collection.

2.2.2 Collections Disaster Coordinator

The Collections Disaster Coordinator is a member of the EPC and has responsibility for collection related disaster prevention, preparedness and response. The Collections Disaster Coordinator is an officer based in Preservation Services who has delegated authority from the Director, Preservation Services, to oversee the Library's routine collections disaster prevention and preparedness activities and all response and recovery activities during collection related emergencies.

The Collections Disaster Coordinator is supported by a Deputy Collections Disaster Coordinator, also from Preservation Services.

2.2.3 Emergency Planning Committee (EPC)

The EPC has overall responsibility for disaster prevention, preparedness, response and review. The role and functions of EPC are listed in the Preface of the NLA Counter Emergency Plan. The EPC structure and membership is listed in Section 2.3.

2.2.4 Collection Manager

Collection managers, have responsibility under the EPC for assessing the needs of the collections in disaster situations, deciding priorities, and assisting in development of short and long term plans for recovery. The membership, role and functions of collection managers, are listed in section 2.5.

2.2.5 Director of Exhibitions / Registrar

The Director of Exhibitions and Registrar have responsibility under the EPC for assessing the needs of collections in disaster situations particular pertaining to material on loan from other institutions for exhibitions.

In consultation with lending institutions decide priorities and assist with short term plans for recovery and return of material.

The membership, role and functions of the Director of Exhibitions and Registrar are listed in section 2.5.

2.2.6 Salvage Teams

During major disasters affecting collections, Library staff may be asked to volunteer to work in salvage teams. These teams salvage disaster affected collection material. Each team will be briefed by a team coordinator who is either a collection manager or a Preservation Services staff member, and will consist of 5 members who have received disaster training.

2.2.7 Preservation Services Staff

Preservation Services staff will be expected to provide support to the Collections Disaster Coordinator as indicated in the Collection Disaster Plan Part 2, Disaster Actions. Where the Collections Disaster Coordinator is unavailable, the Deputy Collections Disaster Coordinator or Preservation Services officers are required to assume coordination responsibility.

2.3 Emergency Planning Committee Structure and Membership
Appointments–Emergency Planning Committee

Name Position
  Director – General
  Emergency Coordinator
ADG Corporate Services
  Deputy Emergency Coordinator
Director Building & Security Services
  Resource Management Emergency Coordinator
Director Employment Relations
  Building Services Emergency Coordinator
Building Manager
  Security Services Emergency Coordinator
Manager Security Services
  House Warden
Security Operations Officer
  Collections Emergency Coordinator
Director Preservation
  Collections Disaster Coordinator
Collection Preservation Manager
  IT Emergency Coordinator
ADG Information Technology
  Deputy IT Emergency Coordinator
Director Business Systems Support
  Collection Mgt. Business Continuity Coordinator
ADG Collections Management
  Reader Services Emergency Coordinator
ADG Aust. Collections and Reader Services
  Resource Sharing Business Continuity Coordinator
ADG Resource Sharing
  Public Programs Business Continuity Coordinator
ADG Public Programs
 

Security Services Emergency Coordinator
Manager Security Services

  Communications Emergency Coordinator
Director Communications and Marketing
  Exhibitions Emergency Coordinator
Registrar Exhibitions
  EPC Secretary
Risk Manager

Each of the members of the EPC has a deputy. Deputies must be kept informed of alterations in procedures at all times.

2.4 Collection Disaster Chain of Command Structure - Under EPC Direction

  • Collection Emergency Coordinator
    Director Preservation Services Branch
  • Collection Disaster Coordinator
    Manager, Collection Preservation
  • Collection Managers
    Managers from all Collection areas
  • Director and Registrar of Exhibitions
  • Preservation Services
    Conservators and trained staff in collection salvage
  • Salvage Teams
    Library staff trained in disaster response and recovery

2.5 Collection Managers: Role and Functions.

The role of the Collection Managers is to advise the Collections Disaster Coordinator and the EPC on salvage and recovery priorities. The Collection Managers also assist in monitoring and coordinating salvage and recovery operations under the direction of the Collections Disaster Coordinator and the EPC.

Collection areas with specific managers include: Maps, Manuscripts, Pictures, Oral History, Music, Asian Collections and Newspapers.

Information, Technical and Stack Services managers are responsible for deposit, rare and general collection materials including Australian rare printed materials, overseas rare books, ephemera and multimedia collections.

Director of Exhibitions and/or Registrar is to advise the Collections Disaster Coordinator and the EPC on salvage and recovery priorities with regard to Exhibition material on loan to the National Library.

Contact names and numbers are listed in the Collection Disaster Plan Part 2, Disaster Actions, Appendix 1.

2.6 Salvage Teams: Roles and Functions

Collection Managers are responsible for maintaining a pool of staff trained in disaster response and recovery in their section

In a disaster, library staff may be asked to volunteer for salvage work by the Collections Disaster Coordinator. When needed, teams will be asked to assemble for briefing and direction to commence salvage operations.

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