Emergency Preparedness for School Library Media Centers

Miami-Dade County Public Schools' Division of Safety, Energy, and Communications Management provides a comprehensive manual, Emergency Management Procedures for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, detailing procedures all schools should follow in the event of emergencies, including hurricanes. The following information has been condensed for library media specialists to use when a hurricane is imminent.

• Move books, materials and equipment away from windows, and if possible to a well-protected area of the library media center.
  
  
• Remove books and materials from floor level shelves only.
  
  
• Unplug all computers (after properly shutting them down) and cover with plastic.
  
  
• Financial records should be wrapped in plastic bags, and if possible sealcabinets with waterproof tape.
  
  
• If plastic sheets are available, cover the shelves to avoid water damage.
  
  
• Clear desks and counters.
  
  
• If you have any special personal items you might want to take them home in case you can't get into the building later.
  
  
• With Destiny, you do not have to make a back up of your collection. ITS performs nightly backups, and I have asked Follett to perform an additional backup for us.
  
  
• If you have done any remote circulations, upload the remote circulation file(s) into Destiny.