Before a Disaster Strikes

Organizations that fare best during a disaster are those that prepare ahead of time and train all staff members to take action. These organizations also create a culture of preparedness. They encourage shared responsibility and build preparedness activities into regular routines. Preparedness becomes a facet of “business as usual” instead of a singular event or yearly exercise.

Any actions you take to prepare today will help your library respond and recover more effectively in the face of future disasters. Whether you have a few hours to start planning or several months, consider these steps identified by preparedness experts and NLS libraries who have experienced disasters first-hand:

Key Preparedness Steps

• Assemble your team

• Identify your library’s risk

• Review existing disaster response plans

• Engage the library community

• Invest in a library culture of mutual care and support

• Cultivate community partnerships

• Develop a disaster response plan

Prepare

Actions your library can take ahead of a disaster
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