We are excited to announce the first Emergency Preparedness & Disaster Planning Summit. There has not been any kind of library connected statewide emergency training in well over a decade. With the guidance of a statewide committee that includes staff representation from several public libraries as well as State Library staff, the Summit will provide two days of comprehensive training to address a variety of topics to assist libraries before, during, and after disasters.  

The Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Planning Summit is a workshop for library administrators, staff, and partners who seek to improve their knowledge around preparedness before, during, and after disasters. The Summit will address topics such as: Introduction to Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Planning, Creating a Disaster Plan, Emergency Preparedness Considerations for People with Disabilities, Design before Disaster, Crisis Communications, Mental Health for Staff, Librarians’ Roles and Supporting Staff in Emergencies, Planning for a Successful Disaster Recovery, and Partnerships including the FEMA Ambassador program. Hear from colleagues who will talk about living through disasters, and participate in a Collections & Salvage workshop and Disaster Plan Stress Test with the NEDCC. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to meet potential partners for collection preservation, staff development, and statewide emergency management contacts. Please also feel free to share with your community partners as this is a great opportunity for everyone to work together! 

The Summit takes place September 9 and 10, 2021 from 8am-5pm at the Hilton Garden Inn, Columbia. Travel grants to cover hotel costs are available for you and your library staff. We will continue to update the information page: https://guides.statelibrary.sc.gov/c.php?g=366438&p=8499845. -Registration is $25 which includes two days of training, breakfast, lunch, and breaks. Register here: https://statelibrary.sc.libcal.com/event/8089439. Rooms are $124.26 per night including tax and are limited so please reserve your rooms now using this link: https://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/groups/personalized/C/CAECDGI-SSL-20210908/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG and parking is free. 

If you have any questions, please contact me at dlyons@statelibrary.sc.gov or 803.734.6061. We hope to see all of you there. 

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Aubrey B. Carroll  
Chief of Headquarters Library Services 
Florence County Library System 
(843) 413 - 7070