Plenary: Dealing with DisastersHall A, MECCChair: Christine Ianna

Grant CollinsManager, Collection Preservation, State Library of Queensland

The Implementation of a Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan: What We Learned

The Implementation of a Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan: What we Learnt.

Grant Collins – State Library QueenslandAll images used from SLQ corporate image library unless otherwise advised

2011 Floods – SLQ Experience

• 11 January SLQ evacuated

• Levels rise the basement goes under

• Library Building closed for a month

• Car park closed for several months

• Significant disruption and recovery

Lessons Learnt

• Develop and test detailed plans

• Explore Communications channels

• Staff are our key asset • Stay focussed on the

business

Develop and test detailed plans

• BCP CMT and Disaster Plan • Testing testing testing – the plan becomes real• Ensure correct accessible critical building

information– Inventory lists – Prioritised essential services

• Disaster leads to the unexpected • Review performance for lessons learned

Communicate• Complex Communications-networks-systems

• Staff – Clients – Board - AQ

• CMT – Executive Managers – Staff • Staff Hotline• Email - Mobile Phones - Facebook and Twitter –

Citrix - Mobile Phones - Mail

• Senior Communications Officer • Build alternatives

Staff

• Willingness determination cooperation

• Passion for the collections and services

• Onsite, offsite and online

• Logistics – coordination making work meaningful

• Ensure contingency plans are in place

• Find ways to deliver…

Learnings recap• Condense BCP • Membership of CMT

– Executive Communications Officer – HR coordinator

• Prioritise essential services lists– Refocus on detailed inventory lists– Projects for fall back

• Comms to staff - more information quicker and more frequently – CMT now reflects improved communication flow – Keep a list of alternative landline/email for staff

• Look to the cloud…

Stay Focussed Collecting and retaining Queensland's documentary

heritage is not always easy – Emotionally– Practically

Building Collections• Build John Oxley Library as a keeping place for the

stories, knowledge and cultures of the people of QLD • Preserve and manage collections for current and future

generationsBuilding Capacity and awareness of Queensland

Memory• Increase community created content in collections• Lead the development of a collaborative distributed

collection of Queensland Memory

“ The story of this summer is a story that must be recorded in history so our future generations will know the phenomenon that we experienced.

So that our future generations may understand not only the atrocities that nature unleashed, so that they may also learn and understand the aftermath of those atrocities, the stories of loss and despair, of fragility and hope and the stories that characterise our indomitable Queensland spirit”

Premier Anna Bligh Condolence speech15 February 2011

RelevanceRelevance

Collections - disaster memories

Flickr Group – almost 800 images

Queensland Floods - Rob and Stephanie Levy – Flickr

Martin Howard – Gailes Caravan Village – Flickr

Erik K Veland. It's not open you fool! - Brisbane Floods – Flickr

Images from SLQ staff photographers Leif Ekstrom and Josie Huang

– more than 300 images

Acquisitions – Troy Hansen

and the web

T-Shirts

John Oxley Library - Car driving through Longreach floodwaters, 1922, Image No. 15217

Questions?