News

Division of Archives and Records Service

Free WESTPAS Workshop Dates and Locations

Joseph Sharp
/
June 24, 2013
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WESTPAS

Western States & Territories Preservation Assistance Service

Free Disaster Planning for Libraries, Museums, Records Offices

Protecting Library & Archive Collections: Disaster Preparedness, Response & Recovery

Registration
Western States and Territories Preservation Assistance Service (WESTPAS), in cooperation with the Utah State Library, Utah State Archives, Utah Academic Library Consortium, is offering a free, 2-part disaster preparedness and response workshops for cultural property.

St. George, UT
Parts 1 and 2: Tuesday Oct 1 and Friday Nov 1 (9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

Salt Lake City, UT
Parts 1 and 2: Thursday Oct 3 and Thursday Nov 7 (9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.)

This training is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. It is part of a coordinated regional approach to raising awareness about disaster planning for collecting institutions throughout the Western United States, from Colorado to Guam. This 2-part training is free to participants who will develop an institutional disaster plan for their collections as an outcome. More than one person per institution is welcome to attend.

Workshop Instructor
Randy Silverman, Preservation Librarian, University of Utah Marriott Library

Outcomes
The “Protecting Library & Archive Collections” workshops are presented in a 2-part sequence to produce the following outcomes for institutional disaster preparedness. Attendees will:

  • Complete a disaster plan by the end of Part 2
  • Learn how to train staff to implement your plan effectively
  • Set pre- and post-disaster action priorities for your collections
  • Learn how to use practical decision-making skills during an emergency
  • Experience salvage procedures for books, documents, and non-print media

Course of Study
The workshop’s two parts are scheduled several weeks apart. Participants will prepare short assignments prior to the first session. Between sessions, they will undertake additional assignments resulting in a completed disaster plan at the end of Part 2. Upon completion, the institution will be invited to join an informal network of WESTPAS trained personnel to provide mutual aid in the event of emergencies involving collections within the region.

Who Should Attend?
Administrators and staff responsible for emergency preparedness, response or decision-making in all types of libraries, archives, libraries, museums, historical societies, city and county record offices. By registering for the workshop, institutions commit to supporting their attendee(s) in completing a disaster plan that focuses on collections. The institution is encouraged to send two attendees so they are able to work together on the disaster preparedness activities.

Cost
There is no charge to the institution. Funding has been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional sponsors include Utah State Library, Utah State Archives, and University of Utah Marriott Library.

Registration
Pre-registration is required. To register online, go to the following link:http://host7.evanced.info/pls/lib/eventcalendar.asp?libnum=4

Move the calendar forward to the month of October and then click on Oct 1 (St. George) or Oct 3 (Salt Lake City) Protecting Cultural Collections Workshop.
Complete the registration form and submit.

For registration assistance, please contact:
Alex Gingerich, [email protected]

For additional questions, please contact:
Randy Silverman, [email protected] or 801-585-6782