This disaster plan is part of an overall emergency action plan for the Princeton University Library. It brings together the steps and resources necessary to respond in an effective and timely way to major and minor events that will have caused damage to the Library's collections. When disaster strikes, advanced preparation allows for organized and focused response and action. Without preparation the response will be one that is disorganized and ineffective and can itself become a disaster. Parts of this plan were drawn from existing library disaster response plans, resources and related material (available on the World Wide Web and elsewhere) that were adapted for use at Princeton.

The various components of the plan follow this introduction.

Disaster Response Team listing current team members and their telephone numbers.

Disaster Response Procedures providing an overview of the immediate steps following a disaster.

Emergency Response Kit listing general information about the Emergency Response Kits that are located throughout the Library system.

Disaster Recovery Flowchart depicting a graphical overview of the recovery process.

Salvage at a Glance and Salvage Operations for Water Damaged Archival Collections: A Second Glance reviewing types of library materials and priorities for their salvage following a disaster as well as detailed instructions about handling these materials. And finally, the

Philadelphia Area Emergency Response Resources List (circa February 2006) listing necessary disaster response supplies and information resources as well as local, regional and national disaster response and recovery service providers.

We all hope that we will never have to call this plan into action. Vigilance, readiness, training, common sense and periodic review (of this plan and conditions within the Library) will prepare us to meet the challenge with eyes wide open should a disaster ever occur.

Robert J. Milevski
Preservation Librarian
January 2003