Emergency Readiness in Collections Stewardship
Join us for two half-days of live, online training with targeted instruction and structured lab sessions. You’ll begin drafting emergency planning documents for your institution, receive guidance from instructors and peers, and can extend your learning with recommended pre- and post-session activities. See the ERICS page located under Preservation Training for more information.
Description
Collections in your care have survived long enough to reach your hands, but survival isn’t a preservation strategy.
Disaster planning can be challenging, which is why it often gets postponed. This program helps stewards of cultural heritage collections turn intention into action. It focuses on practical steps that build readiness and confidence, so that you can protect collections now and in the future.
You don’t need a perfect plan—you need momentum.
Join us for two half-days of live, online training with targeted instruction and structured lab sessions. You’ll begin drafting emergency planning documents for your institution, receive guidance from instructors and peers, and can extend your learning with recommended pre- and post-session activities.
Topics
- First response actions
- Collection salvage techniques
- Working with vendors and conservators for response and recovery
- Disaster plan models
- Readiness and response supplies
- Mold and surface cleaning
Outcomes
At the end of the ERICS online training, participants will have drafted the following documents for their organization:
- Risk assessment
- Prioritization list
- Pocket-sized disaster plan
What to expect
- The course is offered through the NEDCC Training Hub, where you will find accompanying downloads, suggested pre- and post-session activities, and discussion forums.
- Each livestreamed presentation is 30-60 minutes, and lab sessions are 15-45 minutes. Each day includes two 15-minute Coffee Breaks and concludes with 30 minutes of Q&A with instructors.
- Registrants will have extended access to instructors via the discussion forums through May 15, 2026.
- Registrants will have access to all live presentation sessions as well as asynchronous, on-demand access to session recordings and accompanying materials for three months afterward, through August 8, 2026.
Who Should Attend?
The ERICS online training is geared toward professionals and volunteers working with archives, historical organizations, libraries, museums, government agencies, corporate archives, and other organizations that steward historical collections. Students are also welcome, and a discounted student registration rate is available.
See ERICS — NEDCC for more information.