Preparing Your Library for Weather Emergencies

This one-hour session will equip participants with practical strategies to prepare their library or worksite for environmental disasters. Attendees will learn how to assess potential environmental threats, create a site-specific disaster preparedness plan, and assemble emergency kits. The session will also provide guidance on first response actions during weather-related and other environmental emergencies, helping participants build confidence and take proactive steps toward preparedness.

The training will be divided into three parts:

· Creating a Site-Specific Disaster Plan: Learn how to identify risks, set realistic goals, and develop both a quick-reference one-pager and a comprehensive disaster response notebook.

· Emergency Kits and Practical Preparation: Explore what to include in your emergency prep and response kits.

· First Responses to a Disaster: Understand immediate response priorities with the help of pocket guides and key safety practices.

Speaker Bio: 

JoAnn Zeise is Curator of the Waring Historical Library at the Medical University of South Carolina. The Waring Historical Library comprises over 14,000 volumes covering six centuries of medical thought and practice. The library is also home to rich collections of artifacts, audio recordings, and photographs. She oversees care of the collection, research requests, and patron service, and works to promote the collection through research, programs, and publication. JoAnn is also the faculty advisor for the Student Medical History Club.

Prior to her work at the Medical University of South Carolina, JoAnn was the Cultural History Curator at the South Carolina State Museum, a position she held for 11 years. Previously, she worked at the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina. Her work focuses on public history and material culture, with a specialty in the 18th and 19th-century American South. She has been honored to work with community partners and colleagues on a variety of projects. 

JoAnn serves on the board of the Palmetto Archives, Libraries, and Museum Council on Preservation, the South Carolina Historical Association, the South Carolina Abandoned Cultural Properties Board, the South Carolina Public Archeology Division, and is a past board member of the South Carolina Federation of Museums. She is a member of the Lowcounty Alliance for Response. 

By registering for this class, you are agreeing to the NNLM Code of Conduct