What is this standard about?
In relation to archives, libraries and museum collections, this international standard covers the risk analysis, emergency planning and business continuity aspects of preserving cultural heritage in the face of natural and/or other disasters and emergencies.
Who is this standard for?
- Conservators, curators, museum personnel and cultural heritage specialists
- Disaster relief professionals with a bias towards the conservation of natural and cultural heritage (as opposed to humanitarian relief)
Why should you use this standard?
It provides a context for emergency planning, response and recovery for all types of archival, library and museum collections in light of other existing plans. It provides responders and other stakeholders with an outline for planning, responding and recovering.
The standard doesn’t deal with the causes of a critical event, but with its consequences and wider impacts.
It outlines a cycle for developing, exercising and reviewing a plan, and how to present a plan. It aims to encourage responders to develop their capabilities in emergency preparedness and touches on some elements of response and recovery, where relevant, by highlighting indicators of good practice.
NOTE: This standards is not intended to be an operations manual as there is no single approach that meets the needs of every site, nor is there one single set of organizational arrangements that is appropriate to each and every type of emergency.