Palmetto Archives, Libraries, & Museums Council on Preservation
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Northeast Document Conservation Center

4/5/2016

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PALMCOP’s Resources page offers a variety of links to great institutions, organizations, and associations who specialize in disaster plans, preservation, and much more. One resource that offers some great information is the Northeast Document Conservation Center. While the website breaks out conservation and preservation information based on format, one useful tool that covers them all is the Preservation 101 Online Textbook.

Preservation 101 is broken down into nine sections that are easy to follow. You can easily choose a section based on your institution’s needs. For example, Section 2 The Building and Environment covers general building issues, storage environment, pest management, mold protection, fire protection, and controlling of the environment. These sub-sections are thorough, yet concise. Under the sub-section Monitoring the Environment, you will find information on basic practices, why it is important to monitor the environment, the types of devices used to monitor, the types of pollutants that should be monitored, light level monitoring, and how to evaluate the data collected.

The sections are a great starting off point for understanding what is essential to preservation across archives, museums, and libraries. You may find all you need in the sections, or they can inform you of an aspect you did not consider before, and give you a starting off point for further research.

Jessica

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Are You Covered?

1/29/2016

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In the midst of a crisis the last thing you want to hear is that your insurance policy will not cover parts of your recovery and salvage. We often assume that insurance geared towards cultural institutions will automatically provide us with the right coverage. This is a false security; a boilerplate policy may leave you at serious risk. It is important to be sure that your insurance plan is tailored to your institution and to the specific risks you may face in your area.
 
Some question to ask: Are you self-insured or are you covered through a government or university plan? Who is your contact person at the agency? Do you need business interruption coverage? Is the staff bonded and insured against damage? Are there any exclusions in your policy that could nullify the claim? What are the insurer’s policies in regards to mitigation steps that need to be taken immediately without authorization? What happens if collection items are deemed a “loss” but have important historical value? Will your insurer cover moving the collection out of harm’s way? Does your policy cover by item or by event?
 
Navigating through your policy can be confusing and tedious. One way to make the process easier is to sit down and write out various plausible disasters that could strike your institution. Then schedule a meeting with your insurance company contact to walk through these scenarios together. Your agent should be able to show you the sections in your policy that relate to the scenarios you bring up. Understanding what your current policy does and does not cover is the first step in making sure you have the coverage you need when disaster strikes.
 
On a separate note, hope to see you at our re-scheduled Annual Conference on February 12th!
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Looking Back Looking Forward

12/31/2015

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Are you ready for 2016?  We are!  For PALMCOP, 2015 was a year of revitalization that is continuing in the upcoming year.  Under the leadership of Suzanne Singleton, the organization is active and looking forward to growing and expanding its impact.  A couple of 2015 examples of the organization’s work include a wildly successful Disaster Recovery Workshop held jointly with the South Carolina Archives Association (SCAA) and the expertise provided to individuals after the flooding in October.  In 2016, it will be about building on those successes and providing educational opportunities and resources for the state.
 
At the end of the year, everyone makes resolutions for the New Year.  Instead of resolutions, I am picking one word to motivate my actions in the upcoming year.  For PALMCOP, I believe the word will be momentum.  It will be about continuing on the work of the previous year and gaining support in the new year.  The upcoming annual conference on January 22 will be the launching point on building momentum in preservation for 2016!  It will be a great opportunity for everyone to gather, share, and learn.   All the details can be found on the website under the Annual Conference tab (http://www.preservationsc.org/annual-conference.html).
 
Looking forward to a journey of building momentum in preservation with you!
Brenda

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NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Grants

9/16/2015

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The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is accepting applications for Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Grants. This program "helps cultural repositories plan and implement preservation strategies that pragmatically balance effectiveness, cost, and environmental impact. Sustainable approaches to preservation can contribute to an institution’s financial health, reduce its use of fossil fuels, and benefit its green initiatives, while ensuring that collections are well cared for and available for use in humanities programming, education, and research." The focus is to ensure preservation of cultural resource materials and implement actions that will "slow deterioration and prevent catastrophic loss."

The NEH is awarding two kinds of grants:
  • Planning grants of up to $40,000 "to help an institution develop and assess sustainable preventive conservation strategies."
  • Implementation grants of up to $350,000 "to help an institution implement a preventive conservation project"
The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2015. For more information, visit:

http://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/sustaining-cultural-heritage-collections


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Do You Have a Disaster Plan?

9/9/2015

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Do you have a disaster plan in place in the event that your institution experiences a destructive event? A good disaster plan can be your guide when sorting through the whos, whats, whens and hows that come after such a happening. By asking yourself some simple questions now and assessing your space and collection, you can prevent a lot of confusion and provide yourself with a light at the end of the tunnel when something goes wrong. Here are a few free and easy-to-use resources for creating your own.
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Photo courtesy of the National Library of Medicine
  •  A Disaster Plan for Libraries and Archives (Amigos Preservation Services) - Use the basic fill-in-the blank format to list emergency contact information, insurance policy information, information about the facility itself (e.g. where is the main water shutoff?), and local resources for salvage and recovery. It also contains a supply checklist so that you can assemble necessary supplies beforehand.
  • Pocket Response Plan (PReP) (Council of State Archivists) - This small but mighty resource is a provides a portable way for workers to access important contact information as well as find the best next steps for action in the case of an emergency.  
  • dPlan (Northeast Document Conservation Center) – dPlan is an online tool that asks detailed questions and provides a disaster plan for you to print or receive via email. It has a demo version for you to try if you want to experiment before taking the plunge.

Want to see what other institution's disaster plans look like? Check out this page presented by CoOl (Conservation Online)


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Resources and More

8/31/2015

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The Society of American Archivists met last week, and there were many discussions about disaster preparedness and recovery.  While most of us in South Carolina think about hurricanes when we hear “disaster,” there are other more frequent types of disasters waiting to happen in our institutions.  From the leaking pipe to the crash of an HVAC system over a long summer weekend to a fire, mishaps can occur anytime.  Being prepared is key to a successful recovery and possible prevention.

The Council of State Archivists (CoSA) provides planning tools on its Emergency Preparedness Initiative website http://www.statearchivists.org/prepare/, including templates for creating a Pocket Response Plan (PReP) so staff have vital response information at all times.

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Sullivans Island after Hurricane Hugo, 1989
Photo by Katherine Trimnal.
Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library, U.S.C.

PALMCOP is working to identify resources for disaster preparedness and recovery and making links available on the website.  Here you will find also applications for our Disaster Kit and our Data Loggers as well as an Emergency Procedures Manual to download.  We would like to hear from membership about other resources found to be helpful.  Please use the Contact Us link near the top of the Resources page http://www.preservationsc.org/resources.html

The possibility of a statewide cultural resources response initiative for South Carolina is something PALMCOP board members have been discussing.  Some states have programs to assist museums, libraries, and archives in times of disaster.  Massachusetts has a nice website detailing their initiative http://mblc.state.ma.us/costepma/
Such an initiative in South Carolina would take a good deal of effort, but the benefits to all would be immense.
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Mother Emanuel AME Church Memorial Site

7/1/2015

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Two weeks ago, on June 17, the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston lost nine of its congregation members in a horrific act of violence. The City of Charleston, the State of South Carolina, and the nation have come together to mourn, to support the church community, but also to celebrate the rich, full lives of nine individuals: Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lane, Rev. Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Tywanza Sanders, Rev. Daniel Simmons, and Myra Thompson.

We mourn privately and we grieve as a community. We march; we gather in public spaces; we come together in places of worship. In front of the church, in memory of the beloved victims, we leave fresh flowers, sweetgrass roses, hand-crafted crosses, letters, notes, posters, beloved teddy bears, and inspired artwork.

Each day tireless volunteers quietly remove the faded flowers from in front of the church and rearrange the fresh bouquets. In this way, the memorial site remains vibrant. Every day, these same volunteers photograph the site before gathering up the more fragile memorial items and bringing them into the church. In time, the members of the AME Church may want to establish an archive. Stored safely inside, letters from school children, condolence cards, poetry, folk art, signs bearing the signatures of citizens from distant cities, and handcrafted banners are free from environmental damage and are awaiting the moment when a more permanent memorial may be developed. The items, created from of an outpouring of love and raw emotion, celebrate the lives of those lost, provide context for a senseless moment, and offer comfort and strength.

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Hurricane Season is June 1 - November 30

6/29/2015

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This year the National Weather Service is predicting a "below-normal" season for tropical cyclones. While the first tropical storm of the year came a little early-- in May Tropical Depression Ana hit the Grand Strand-- the NWS expects a 70% chance of up to two major hurricanes in 2015. Since South Carolina is often a target along the Atlantic seaboard, we share a few storm tracker websites to help you keep tabs on those tropical storms. Bookmark your favorite!

National Weather Service
National Hurricane Center
www.ready.gov/hurricanes
www.hurricane.terrapin.com
The Weather Channel
AccuWeather
Weather Underground

PALMCOP is creating a Resource page on our website. Contact us if you know any great sites!

-- Suzanne Singleton, PALMCOP Chair
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Training the Trainers: Disaster Recovery Workshop at FMU

6/3/2015

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Did you know that dryer sheets can be used to salvage wet books? Yes, indeed. According to Ann Frellsen, American Institute for Conservation-Certified disaster response trainer, those used Bounce® sheets that we toss out on laundry day are absorbent enough to interleave between the pages of damp books. Ms. Frellsen spoke to over 20 professionals from archives, libraries, and museums on May 28 at a disaster recovery and salvage workshop. PALMCOP teamed up with the South Carolina Archival Association to sponsor this event in Florence, SC.

Bill McRee, Celeste Wiley, and Walter Hill examine items
for recovery in workshop at Francis Marion University.


Since it is a goal of PALMCOP to restore our education series, we are beginning with efforts to offer a disaster recovery workshop. A number of the attendees of the Florence event opted to become better educated in disaster response so that they may, in turn, prepare staff of other institutions.

Ms. Frellsen gave a morning lecture in which she emphasized disaster planning as crucial to a successful recovery. She described the elements of a good plan, gave a checklist of items needed in an institution’s recovery kit, and pointed out key things for a recovery team to know. Create your institution’s emergency plan first, and keep it current. Make sure to keep it in a safe place. Keep copies in multiple places and also make sure to save it electronically. When disaster does strike, safety is the first response! The recovery team should ensure that staff and visitors are out of danger. Once the evacuated building is cleared for re-entry, the team should assess the overall damage to the building and collections before beginning any salvage of collections. However, a quick response is necessary to save items from mold, which can be expected in to appear in about 48 hours. Other important lessons Frellsen imparted were to remain calm and mindful during the assessment process. Be alert to “helpers” who may take advantage of the situation and walk away with valuables. Wear protective gear at all times such as a breathing mask, gloves, a protective vest, and a hard hat. Additionally, she stated that reliable information can be found on the Internet. FEMA offers classes online to ordinary civilians on how to respond to various emergencies. You can sign up for these classes on the FEMA website. 

For the second part of her presentation, Frellsen led a hand-on session inside FMU’s library in which recovery teams of five persons were formed from the 20 participants. Each team decided who would be team leader, made decisions on how items would be treated, sorted the items, and began the drying process. Not only did the team members handle books and similar print items, but also art work, clothing, electronics, even toys. Some items were puzzling, but during the wrap-up the teams shared how they interpreted items and how their decisions were made.

Participants left the workshop better educated in improving their institution’s disaster plan, and in training their staff in wet materials salvage. And from now on, they will save those Bounce® sheets!
                                   
                                                                                                                -- Suzanne Singleton, PALMCOP Chair





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Disaster Preparedness and Recovery

6/1/2015

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Thank you to everyone who attended last week's PALMCOP/SCAA Hands-on Disaster Recovery Workshop! A big thank you to Francis Marion University for hosting this event. 

In light of recent flooding in Texas and Oklahoma, this is a perfect time to talk about some of the resources out there for disaster preparedness and recovery. Last week on Facebook we shared a story about how the University of Texas at Austin's School of Information is assisting flood victims in salvaging their family treasures and are planning to host salvage workshops. 

The Library of Congress also has resources available for anything from emergency preparedness to preservation. These resources can be found on their Preservation page,
http://www.loc.gov/preservation/. 

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) have recently created a page on their website for Disaster Recovery Resources. These resources include Disaster Recovery Vendors, Funding, and Training. They are definitely worth exploring and can be found at http://www2.archivists.org/groups/regional-archival-associations-consortium-raac/disaster-recovery-resources.

These are just a few of the resources available out there.
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