Re: [padg] pandemic planning

["Jane Cullinane" <JCullinane@xxxxxxxxx>]

The State of Connecticut has been planning and conducting drills to be prepared in the event of a pandemic, chiefly with the intent to test continuity of operations plans (COOP). Our plan is to attempt to keep reference services going via email and telephone. The state has an information site at http://www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch/site/default.asp The State Library participated in a drill in February. 

The State Librarian reported 
"By the end of the simulation the State Library had closed to the public everywhere while maintaining telephone and e-mail services, and had suspended C-CAR [delivery of books to libraries throughout the state].  The Team responded to a help request by offering State Library vehicles and C-CAR drivers to the general resource pool.  The Team had done a good job prioritizing agency functions and determining agency staffing thresholds and was able to respond appropriately to SEOC [State Emergency Operations Center] requests and directives.  The State Library reported the overall agency status at the end as "YELLOW".  This meant that the agency was experiencing abnormal conditions: higher than normal absenteeism, problems with suppliers or service providers or release of normal resources to other Agencies for COOP purposes.   All priority 1 functions were being delivered at normal service levels and one or more priority 2 or 3 functions were not meeting acceptable service levels." (from State Librarian's report http://www.cslib.org/libbrd/rpt0307.htm) By the way, during the simulation, the building did not actually close. 

These activities and plans are being directed by the State Librarian's office. The Preservation Office has not been involved.

Regards,
--Jane C.

Jane F. Cullinane
Preservation Librarian, Collection Management Unit
Connecticut State Library
231 Capitol Ave., Hartford,  CT  06106-1537
860-757-6524, fax: 860-757-6683
jcullinane@xxxxxxxxx     http://www.cslib.org

>>> Janet Gertz <gertz@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 7/9/07  1:36 pm >>>
As part of larger campus-wide planning, I've been appointed to head the 
library's planning for how we will operate if a pandemic occurs.  I 
would appreciate hearing from anyone else whose institutions are 
addressing this situation.

Thanks
Janet Gertz
Director for Preservation
Columbia University Libraries
gertz@xxxxxxxxxxxx