This plan has been created to help ensure the continuity of operations for the Archive and Library Services (“ALS”) Division of the Center for Jewish History in the event of an emergency occurring in the C-level labs, collections services areas and institutional archives storage on the 3rd floor, and the Berg Rare Book Room on the Ground Floor. This action plan includes staff procedures and steps to be taken to prepare for and respond to a disaster to the Center that poses a potential threat to collections and services provided by the offices within the Archive and Library Services Division. It is hoped that adherence to this plan will minimize damage to the collections and will assist in speedy restoration of routine workflows to the CJH patron community.
The C-level is below grade and at a high risk of flooding in extreme weather situations; the Reading Room and GI areas have a history of leaks and mold, and the Institutional Archives storage area and the Berg Room have less than ideal environmental controls that could result in mold or insect incursions. In addition, storms and coastal flooding have become more frequent and more severe and we can expect they will continue to threaten Manhattan. Should the New York City Office of Emergency Management issue a warning for our area or should some unexpected event occur, this plan will allow us to quickly prepare and hopefully prevent any incident from becoming catastrophic so that we maintain our ability to provide superior collections access and management services to our Partners and user groups.
For more information about disaster response and recovery for collections materials, please see CJH’s more comprehensive Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan.
Contents Summary
- Communication and Responsibilities
- Disaster Preparedness and Response Procedures For Expected and Unexpected Events
- Contact list
COMMUNICATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
COMMUNICATING EMERGENCY INFORMATION
There are several roles outlined in the plan below. The plan requires the cooperation and coordination of the Partners, as well as the speedy involvement of CJH Archives and Library services staff.
- If you see something that poses a threat to collections materials, immediately contact Building Operations, Security, or Preservation so that the problem can be quickly rectified.
- If damage has occurred to collections or if collections need to be moved to protect them from damage, contact the Head of Archive and Library Services or one of the alternates listed on the CJH-ALS Primary Emergency Contact list.
- The CJH-ALS Primary Emergency Contact will then contact the CJH Disaster Team and the Partner Emergency Response Point Persons as necessary based on the location and extent of the threat.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- The CJH Executive and Senior Management, specifically the CEO and Director of Operations will make all decisions about building closures and other necessary safety measures. In addition, with support from the CFO and Director of Archive and Library Services, they will be responsible for coordinating the appropriate dispersal of funds to disaster response vendors and equipment providers, contacting insurers regarding losses, and facilitating the flow of information among first responders, recovery vendors, and CJH and Partner staff.
- The CJH Senior Manager for Collections Services, in conjunction with the Preservation Services Manager and Director of Archive and Library Services, is responsible for alerting the Partner Emergency Response Point Persons of potential disasters threatening their collections and their responsibilities during a disaster, orienting CJH staff to disaster plan updates and procedures, and ensuring intellectual and physical control over all materials removed from CJH locations.
- The CJH Disaster Team is responsible for securing their respective work areas in the event of an emergency to ensure continuity of operations to the extent possible. In addition, they are required to maintain an inventory of Partner collection materials being held in their work areas and to provide that inventory to the Senior Manager for Collections Services as needed. Each person in the Disaster Team should know the location of the Emergency Response bin in their work area and should contact Preservation Services if they are low on disaster supplies.
- The Partner Emergency Response Point Persons are representatives from each of the Partner organizations and who will be responsible for moving their respective collections to Partner stacks. Partner Emergency Response Point Persons will be responsible for providing appropriate book carts and for providing the Senior Manager for Collections Services with updated location information for relocated collections materials. During the post-disaster and recovery phase, Partner Emergency Response Point Persons will be responsible for moving damaged items to the Conservation Lab for treatment. If collections need to be moved outside of normal work hours or in the case of a fast-moving, immediate threat, the Director of Archive and Library Services has the right to decide to have Center staff move materials without consulting Partner Staff until after the threat has been contained.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PROCEDURES FOR EXPECTED AND UNEXPECTED EVENTS
UNEXPECTED
Small scale
Some unexpected “disasters” are only dangerous on a small scale, for instance
- Live rodents found nesting in a storage box
- A patron who is defacing collections materials
- Condensation forming on a wall
- One book or box with mold growth
can easily be controlled by immediately contacting the Senior Manager for Collections Services or Preservation Services Manager.
Large scale
Most unexpected, large disasters that threaten collections will also pose a threat to staff and user safety. In the event of an occurrence such as
- Earthquake
- Fire
- Large pipe burst
Staff should follow the directions of the Center for Jewish History’s Fire Life Safety Director, Director of Operations, or their floor Safety Officer. Collections and vital equipment should only be draped in plastic or relocated if this can be done without any risk to human life. Once the threat has been neutralized and the building deemed safe, Building Operations and Collections Management staff will assess the damage to collections and equipment and respond appropriately. Partner Executive Directors and Emergency Response Point People will be contacted by the Director of Archive and Library Services as soon as possible once an initial assessment has been completed.
If it is necessary and safe to protect collections and vital equipment, follow the instructions found in 24-36 hours before a Category 1 or higher storm, or flood warning
on pages 6-7 of this document. In the case of an extreme immediate threat to collections materials when it is impracticable to contact Partner staff, collections materials should be relocated to a safe and secure CJH space. Should this occur, all collections materials should be labeled with the name of the owning partner and an identification number (call number, accession number, etc.).
EXPECTED
Before a weather event (Watch Phase)
The Director of Operations (in their absence, next alternate) will notify CJH staff when a weather event watch is in effect for the New York City area and when the Archives and Library Services Division must take precautions to protect collections, equipment, and workspaces.
If the watch happens outside of normal working hours, the CEO, Director of Operations, and/or Director of Archives and Library Services will determine which CJH staff should come into the building to assist with emergency preparations.