Disaster Management in Archives, Libraries and Museums

Graham Matthews, Yvonne Smith

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9780754672739
• eBook ISBN: 9781351943871
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Filología
• Subtopic: Biblioteconomía y ciencia de la información

This important book assesses the current state of disaster management in archives, libraries and museums in the UK and around the world, and provides recommendations for addressing current and future threats. Following an introductory outline of the topic and terminology, the authors provide a short history of the development of disaster management in the cultural heritage sector. They illustrate a basic framework for effective disaster management by reviewing disaster control plan practice from around the world. Through examining and identify the key issues affecting disaster management in archives, libraries and museums, the authors discuss a priority structure for future implementation. This book will be key reading for scholars and students of archive studies, library and information and museum management. It will also be extremely useful for professionals and policy makers involved in disaster management planning at a local and national level.

Chapter 1
The Research Project and Disaster Management: Introduction

Aim of the Book

The book aims to provide a contemporary overview of disaster management in archives, libraries and museums in the United Kingdom, and an insight into activities elsewhere in the world. It does so on the basis of primary research into real-world experience and activity that has provided a greater understanding and knowledge of current disaster management/emergency planning activities within and across the UK archive, library and museum domains.

It reports primarily on the findings of a research project, ‘Safeguarding heritage at risk: disaster management in UK archives, libraries and museums’, undertaken at Liverpool John Moores University from March 2005–October 2006, by researchers Yvonne Smith and Gemma Knowles, under the supervision of Graham Matthews. The research was funded by an award from the United Kingdom Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). In writing the book, the authors have also incorporated information relevant to the topic beyond the end of the project, up to Summer 2008. The research is the first study of a cross-domain nature that provides an overview of the sector, the individual domains, as well as an international perspective.

Digital resources and services were not within the direct remit of the research on which the book is based. This was decided at the proposal stage of the project as its scope was determined. Reviewers of the proposal influenced this decision which was confirmed later by the Project Advisory Panel. Not only would this have added to the already wide scope of the project but others were already addressing this (for example in the UK, the Digital Preservation Coalition).

Audience

The research reviewed current disaster management practice in the UK and abroad and sought lessons from other fields like business and computing and events such as 11 September 2001. It aimed to provide an up to date overview of good practice that would inform cultural heritage strategists and offer practical advice for managers. Information to assist managers and policy-makers has been identified. It was hoped consideration of results could lead to sharing of innovative approaches in practice.

It was also intended that project findings would inform practitioners’ and trainers’ prioritisation of training topics and contribute to educators development of courses. The audience of the book is thus wide, including archivists, librarians, curators, managers, trainers, consultants – very much reflecting the range of individuals who contributed to the research. Students should also find the contents helpful and complementary to the kind of information on the topic they will find in ‘how to do it’ publications on their reading lists.

In academic terms, the project was timely as it took place when there was a wider move to interdisciplinary and academic/practitioner research in this field (e.g. the Preserving Our Past event (March 2006), funded by the AHRC, Economic and Science Research Council (ESRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), English Heritage, to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration amongst the historic environment research community (AHRC Preserving Our Past Workshop). As such, the research should provide researchers in other disciplines with an insight into disaster management in this sector and thus facilitate potentially creative initiatives involving several disciplines (addressing, for example, buildings, environment and climate change).

The project has already had an impact on policy, through, for example, informing and facilitating the development of collaborative support networks (e.g. participation in the DCMS’s London Emergency Planning Group meetings and its development of AGORA, an extranet to promote collaboration and sharing of experience; and liaison with East Midlands Museum Service Regional Emergency Disaster Support). The newly established Renaissance South East Emergency Response Units has included project findings in its procedural manual.

The project continues to increase awareness and understanding of disaster management in archives, libraries and museums among practitioners and those in other fields with whom they work (e.g. civil emergency planners, fire service) through a range of dissemination activities including publications and presentation of conference papers.

The Research Project

Background

The national cultural heritage in museums, archives and libraries is at risk from natural and man-made ‘disasters’. These may cause damage to collections and buildings, with unique material lost forever. Effective disaster management can prevent or reduce this.

Since the mid 1980s, Professor Matthews has had a considerable research interest in preservation management. Through this he became particularly interested in one of preservation management’s key aspects, disaster management. The findings relating to disaster management in a broader investigation of preservation policy and practice in libraries he was involved in in the early 1990s (Feather. Matthews and Eden 1996), led to him directing the last major UK review of the topic, Disaster Management in British Libraries, funded by the British Library Research and Development Department, 1995–1996 (Matthews and Eden 1996).

Since then, however, there have been considerable developments across the cultural heritage sector. In the area of disaster management, these include: ongoing professional and institutional activities, their promotion on websites, research projects, applications from other disciplines, and, unfortunately, yet more experience of disasters, from fire, flood and terrorism, for example. Over the period, government in the UK has encouraged increasing collaboration between domains – archives, libraries and museums (and the private sector). It is acknowledged now that the sector incorporates a broad range of institutions, small and large, local and national, each with varying disaster management requirements, levels of provision and resources. Matthews has continued to monitor developments (Matthews and Feather (eds.) 2003; Matthews 2005a) and undertake research (Matthews, et al. 2004; Matthews 2005b) in this field.

Since the turn of the millennium, there has also been a growing international dimension as, firstly, the Internet has offered opportunities for greater sharing of advice and experience from around the world, and, secondly, the impact of terrorism and war has been seen to be widespread and far ranging. In spite of developments to assist disaster control planning, and reminders of the impact of incidents large and small, Wellheiser and Scott noted that the ‘“current” & reality is that many organisations, despite their good intentions, have yet to realise these intentions in the form of a disaster plan or integrated planning’ (2002, 4).

Indeed, disaster prevention and preparedness are activities which some may put off to a later date, the likelihood of experiencing a disaster thought to be remote, the ‘it won’t happen here’ attitude. Unfortunately, there are many incidents of varying cause and scale from around the world to suggest this may not be the case. Well publicised examples include the flooding in Florence in 1966 and its effect on the National Library (The Florence Flood 2008), the destruction by fire of Norwich Central Library in England in 1994 (Creber 2003), the devastating fire at the eighteenth century Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Germany in 2004 (Help for Anna Amalia 2006). Archives, libraries and museums are not immune from critical, region-wide incidents, for example, the floods in the Czech Republic in 2003 (Vnouček 2005), the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the ensuing tsunami’s impact on South and Southeast Asia (IFLA PAC Regional Centre for Asia and National Diet Library, 2005), and Hurricane Katrina’s devastation on the Gulf Coast of the United States in 2005 (American Library Association 2008). War and terrorism, likewise – for example, the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001 (Heritage Preservation 2002), war in the former Yugoslavia (Teijgeler 2006), and Iraq (Johnson 2005). It was thus felt timely to consider disaster management practice in this context, including reaction to such disasters, and what might be done to foster good disaster management practice across this sector which has responsibility for what are increasingly recognised as key economic as well as cultural assets. Existing practice within the UK sector needed to be identified and reviewed to inform the development of effective disaster management to meet the needs of museums, libraries and archives in the 21st century. To achieve this, it was also relevant to consider activity in archives, libraries and museums elsewhere in the world, and to look beyond the sector at other disciplines and sectors for different approaches and lessons.

Aim and Objectives

So, what did the project set out to do, and how did it achieve this? It aimed to:

• achieve a contemporary overview of disaster management practice and issues in the UK cultural heritage sector

• identify relevant practice in other countries and sectors

• inform strategists and managers in museums, libraries and archives

• make recommendations for the effective development of disaster management.

Specific objectives included, to:

• identify and review the literature of disaster management in the UK and international cultural heritage sector

• identify and review practice (good and bad), gaps and issues within the UK sector domains: archives, libraries and museums

• identify and review examples of good practice and theory outside the UK and in other disciplines

• compile and make available an up-to-date bibliographic resource of worldwide documentation (including websites) and practical information on disaster management

• recommend how sector-wide development in the UK might be planned and implemented to achieve effective disaster management in individual institutions and sector-wide.

Method

To achieve these aims and objectives, the project employed a variety of methods, including literature and website searches and review, document analysis, questionnaire surveys and analysis, visits to select organisations, and interviews with key individuals/groups.

The literature review emphasised that there is a vast amount of information available, including that from international and outside the cultural heritage sector organisations and, increasingly, this is available on websites (e.g. International Council of Museums (ICOM), Risk Management; International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); The World Bank, Disaster Risk Management). Indeed, most initial approaches to ‘non-cultural heritage’ institutions seeking information about disaster management were met with a response to ‘see website’. A review of such websites in the UK with a focus on civil emergency planning, risk management and business continuity (including IT) was undertaken. The review highlighted sources of information and advice, tools, services, examples of good practice and models that could be used in the cultural heritage sector, such as those available on the Collections Link website. (Collections Link is a recently established national advisory service for collection management managed by MDA (Museum Documentation Association) in partnership with the Institute of Conservation (ICON) and the National Preservation Office (NPO) and funded by The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).) Analysis of a sample selection of disaster control plans also contributed to the overview.

Literature and website searching also provided insight into practice and initiatives in other countries and sectors. The project coincided with major events (e.g. 7 July 2005 terrorist attacks in London, Hurricane Katrina August 2005) that led to a further increase in information and advice on emergency planning, business continuity, risk managemen...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• About the Authors
• Acknowledgements
• List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Preface
• 1 The Research Project and Disaster Management: Introduction
• 2 Disaster Management and Archives, Libraries and Museums: Context
• 3 The Situation in the United Kingdom: Overview
• 4 The Worldwide Situation: Overview
• 5 The Disaster Control Plan
• 6 Findings: Key Themes
• 7 Planning for the Future
• 8 Sources of Information
• Index