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Library Emergency Disaster Plan

Purpose of the Disaster Plan

• To anticipate possible emergencies and disasters and implement measures to reduce any indecisions should such conditions occur
• To ensure the safety of people first and reduce the amount of damage to the library facilities and materials should such conditions occur

I.  Location of Emergency/Disaster Plan

1. Brown-Daniel Library Main Campus – library director’s office
2. Avon Williams Campus Library – filing cabinet in the office suite
3. Media Main Campus – media coordinator’s office
4. Media Avon Williams Campus – media center office
5. Facilities Management
6. TSU Police Department
7. Brown-Daniel Library Website

II.  Location of Emergency Exits 

1. Brown-Daniel Library Main Campus – shown on the floor plans that are housed in the in library director’s office (supplied by facilities management)
2. Avon Williams Campus Library – The library is located on the first floor of the Avon  Williams Building. To the left of the library entrance is a stairwell that leads to the second level and exits on the north and south sides of the building. Additional building exits on the first floor may be found by following the ramp to the left of the elevator. The route leads to exits to Charlotte Avenue, 10^th Avenue North, and the main parking lot. In addition to the main entrance, the library has an emergency exit located at the opposite end of the room. This exit leads up the stairs to a hall, which leads to exits to the main parking lot and to Charlotte Avenue. The library is below ground and has no natural lighting and is dependent on emergency lighting or flash lights.
3. Media Main Campus – The main campus media center is located in the Learning Resources Center (LRC). There are three doors leading out of the media center: one from the only entrance used (Rm.  101); a second from the media shelving area (Rm. 109) leads to the hall right next to an outside exit door near the ladies restroom on the first floor; and the third door (Rm. 107) in the large media classroom opens to the outside of the building. The Rm. 101 exit leads to the front entrance of the LRC building facing the amphitheater. The second exit (Rm.  109) leads to the outside back left corner of the LRC. The third exit (Rm. 107) opens to the outside of the building just a few feet from the back left corner of the LRC
4. .Media Avon Williams Campus – There are three doors leading out of the Media Center:  one from the main entrance (Rm. 129); a second from the equipment storage room; and a third by way of the computer lab (Rm.  126). All three of these exits lead to the same hallway on the first floor, which provides outside access to the main parking lot when exiting left; Charlotte Avenue by exiting right; 10^th Avenue North by way of the adjacent loading dock; or to the second floor by traveling up the ramp to the staircase by the Library’s entrance. (Also shown on floor plans in the Media Center Office)

III. Evacuation Procedures

Brown-Daniel Library Main Campus

When the campus alarm or the building fire alarm is activated, make a public address system announcement for all patrons and staff to clear the building. Walk through the library to determine that all patrons and staff have exited the library. This walk through should include the stacks, study rooms, and restrooms. In case of   power failure, staff members should have flash lights at their desk to assist in evacuation.   Notify the TSU police department. Turn off all electrical appliances, including computers when applicable. Take all personal belongings, including keys, coats, and purses. ASSIST THE HANDICAPPED IN EXITING THE BUILDING! Remember the elevators are reserved for handicapped persons. DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS IN CASE OF FIRE AND/OR EARTHQUAKE.  The Head of Circulation or Shift Supervisor will have responsibility to evacuate the first floor, the Director for Collection Management or Shift Supervisor will have the responsibility to evacuate technical services, the Head of Reference or Shift Supervisor will have the responsibility to evacuate the second floor, and the Head of Special Collections or Shift Supervisor will have the responsibility to evacuate the third floor to make sure that everyone is out of the building.  All Public Service personnel should exit through the front doors. All Technical Service personnel should exit through the back dock doors. Once outside, proceed to a clear area away from the building. DO NOT return to an evacuated building unless told to do so by a University official.

Avon Williams Campus Library (AWC)

When the campus alarm or the building fire alarm is activated, make a public address system announcement for all patrons and staff to clear the building. Walk through the library to determine that all patrons have exited the library. This walk through should include the stacks, study rooms, and restrooms. The staff should direct patrons to the nearest unobstructed exit.  In case of power failure, staff members should have flashlights at their desk to assist in evacuation. Turn off all electrical appliances, including computers when applicable. Take all personal belongings, including keys, coats, and purses. Close but do not lock the door. Leave the building and wait in a pre-designated area for an “all clear” message.

Media Main Campus – When the campus alarm or the building fire alarm is activated in the LRC building, all patrons and staff will be directed through the main media center entrance door (Rm. 101), then outside through the front LRC entrance doors to gather near the amphitheater. Media center staff will walk through the media center offices, classrooms, and studios to ensure that all patrons have exited. In case of power failure, staff members should have flash lights at their desk to assist in evacuation. Turn off all electrical appliances including computers when applicable. Take all personal belongings, including keys, coats, and purses. Lock the doors to prevent anyone from entering.  

Media Avon Williams Campus – When the campus alarm or the building fire alarm is activated in the media center, make a public address system announcement for all patrons and staff to clear the building. All patrons will be directed first to the hallway, then outside by way of the nearest, safest exit. Media staff will walk through the computer lab and media center offices to ensure that all patrons have exited, and then lock the doors to prevent anyone else from entering.   In case of power failure, staff members should have flash lights at their desk to assist in evacuation.  Turn off all electrical appliances including computers when applicable. Take all personal belongings, including keys, coats, and purses.  

IV.  Emergency Telephone Numbers

V.  Location of First Aid Kits

• First Aid Kits are located in the following library departments:
• Directors Office - in assistant to the director’s office
• Circulation Main – behind the circulation desk in the cabinet
• Collection Management –in a cabinet in the acquisitions sink area
• Reference – on the desk in the work-room
• Special Collections – on a shelf behind the special collections librarian’s desk
• Media Main – Rm. 109A, top right drawer of desk
• Media AWC – behind the main reception desk
• AWC Library – in the office supply room

VI.   Emergencies/Natural Disasters Tennessee State University Emergency Response Manual (by clicking on this link you will find specific instructions for most of the following situations. It is very important to follow the campus’ procedures where applicable)

A. Bomb Threat

• Alert the Library Administrative Offices (x5211).  It is their responsibility to call Campus Police (x5171).  If there is nobody in the office, alert the reference librarian (x5201), or in the case of the media centers, the media coordinator (x5743).
• Call the Circulation Librarian (x5064) and request evacuation over the public   announcement system.
• All Department Heads should make sure their areas are cleared.

 B. Computer Equipment Failure

•  Alert the Computer Specialist (x5489).
•  In her absence contact CIT Help Desk (x7777).
• Media centers should alert the media coordinator (x5743).

 C. Earthquake

• The building should not be evacuated during an earthquake. Persons inside of the building should move to the inner core of the library and stay away from windows. Where possible, people should stand in a doorway, in hallways, or under a heavy table, desk, or bench. Do not allow people to go into stairways because they may collapse. After shocks may follow for several hours or days after the earthquake, so caution should be used. A battery-powered radio should be kept in the area to keep informed about earthquake news. Persons inside the main campus media center should proceed to the stairwell or inner core of the LRC building.

 D. Elevator Stoppage

• Place sign on the door indicating that it is “Out of Order.”
• Call or send email to Work Control (x5668), requesting a repair person.

 E. Fire

• Alert the Library Administrative Offices (x5211).
• Call the Circulation Librarian (x5064) and request evacuation over the public announcement system.
• The Circulation Desk will notify Campus Police and Facilities Management. In the case of the media centers, the media coordinator will call, as well as, announce an evacuation.
• All library faculty and media staff will participate in evacuation procedures, making sure all patrons and staff has exited their buildings.
• Each department should be equipped with fire extinguishers and library and media personnel should be trained to handle them.

 F. Water Emergency

• If there is a leak or flood from any source, call Work Control (x5668).
• If leaking water or flood has the potential to damage books, media, or equipment, cover with large waterproof tarps and move to a drier area. (Waterproof tarps and other emergency supplies will have to be ordered through the library supply budget)

G. Hazardous Material

• Call the Circulation Librarian (x5064) and request evacuation over the public announcement system.
• Call Work Control (x5668) during main hours, 8am-4pm, M-F.
• Call Campus Police (x5171) during All other hours.
• Media centers staff should call the media coordinator (x5743), as well as, announce and evacuate.

 H. Medical Emergencies

• Depending upon the seriousness of the injury or illness assist the injured,   make them as comfortable as possible.
• If illness or accident looks extremely serious, call 911 and Campus Police (x5171).
• Notify Library Administrative Offices (x5211). Media centers should call the media coordinator (x5743) if there is no answer from Library Administrative Offices.

I. Power Failure/Utility Failures

• Call Work Control (x5668) during main hours from 8am- 4pm, M-F.   
• Call Campus Police (x5171) during All other hours.

J. Security Issues

In the cases of physical threats, stalking, thefts and vandalism, the incident is reported to the appropriate department head, the library director, and the TSU police department.  Copies of police and incident reports are kept on file in the library director’s office.

K. Shelving Collapse

1. Check for personal injuries.
2. Cordon off the area.
3. File a police report.
4. Arrange for temporary storage of the books, media, and/or equipment.
5. Order new shelving.

L. Tornado

 In case of a tornado watch, stay alert.

Brown-Daniel Library, in case of a tornado warning, the campus siren will sound.  Make an announcement for all patrons and personnel to go to the collection management area on the first floor.  If numbers of people are great, some may be sent to the basement area.  Have persons sit on the floor with their heads between their legs and covered with their arms. The Department Head of Circulation or designee will have the responsibility to evacuate the first floor, the Department Head of Reference or designee will have the responsibility to evacuate the second floor, and the Department Head of Special Collections or designee will have the responsibility to evacuate third floor to make sure they are clear. If there is damage to the building notify the facilities management director and the campus police department.

Media main, in the case of a tornado warning, patrons will be directed to the stairs near the ladies restroom on the first floor to go to the basement. Have persons to sit on the floor with their heads between their legs and covered with their arms until the “all clear” message is heard. If there is damage to the building notify the facilities management director and the campus police department.

Avon Williams Campus Library, in case of a tornado warning, the staff should inform the patrons to sit in the hall on the floor with their heads between their legs and covered with their arms until the danger has past. If there is damage to the building notify the facilities management director and the campus police department.

Media Avon Williams, in the case of a tornado warning, patrons will be kept inside and away from glass. Have persons to sit on the floor with their heads between their legs and covered with their arms until the “all clear” message is heard. If there is damage to the building notify the facilities management director and the police department.

VII.  Collection Salvage Procedures

An investigation of the condition of the damaged area/s of the library and/or media center will be conducted by a responsible party of the library. Safety will be our number one objective. Once the area has been determined safe, the following steps will take place.

Step 1.  Determine which damaged materials will take high priority. Damaged materials could include but are not limited to the following types:

• Office Materials – personnel files, financial records, insurance records, etc.
• Irreplaceable Items – rare books, manuscripts, photographs, portraits, etc.
• Other Paper Based Items – books, unbound materials, pamphlets, loose materials, etc.
• Photographic Materials - prints, negatives, transparencies, microfilm, microfiche, etc.
• Magnetic Tape Materials – video, audio cassettes, floppy diskettes, compact disks, DVDs, phonograph recordings, etc.
• Other – carpet, ceiling tiles, light fixtures, stair rails, furniture, media equipment, etc.

Step 2. The University has a recovery plan in place. Contact Facilities Management (x5687) for recovery.

Step 3. Determine what damage, if any, has been done to all library and media systems, Millennium, Illiad, Databases, etc. Responsible personnel (Colette Bradley, Computer Specialist x5489, Nancy Henthorne, Interlibrary Loan Librarian x1528, and Vanessa (Vandy) Owen, Technical Services Software Librarian x5226) will ensure that before a disaster occurs, backup files are in place at appropriate locations.

Salvage Procedures for the Government Documents Collections

Government Documents come in all types of formats: paper, bound, pamphlets, loose print, microfiche, maps, CDs, DVDs, floppy diskettes, videos, and online. In the event of a major or minor disaster to the collection, the Government Documents Coordinator will contact GPO and the regional depository librarian before taking the necessary steps to assess the damage and carry out the salvage procedures as listed in the main disaster plan for the entire library. When salvage steps are determined to be impossible, the Government Documents Coordinator will consult the Needs-and -Offers List provided by the federal depository listserv, and/or the Government Printing Office (GPO) for duplicate or replacement copies.

Salvage Procedures for Special Collections & Archives

Special Collections & Archives materials come in all types of formats: paper, bound, pamphlets, loose print, microfiche, CDs, DVDs, videos, and online. In the event of a major or minor disaster to the collection, the Special Collections & Archives Head will take the necessary steps to assess the damage and carry out the salvage procedures as listed in the main disaster plan for the entire library. When salvage steps are determined to be impossible, the Head of Special Collections & Archives will contact the Facilities Management Department (x5687) for recovery.

VIII. Tennessee State University Emergency Response Manual

Written by Tennessee State University Libraries and Media Centers Emergency/Disaster Plan Committee (2008)

• Glenda Alvin
• Mitchell Chamberlin
• Anita Etheridge, Chair
• Karen Gupton
• Richard Horrell
• Murle Kenerson
• Sharon Smith
• Mary Swanson

Revised 2010

Updated 2016