As part of the industry programme on #PreserveAfricaArchives, Broadcast Media Africa (BMA), in collaboration with Apricity Consulting, recently hosted an online forum that addressed mitigation, business continuity strategies, as well as unpacked effective disaster preparation strategies and processes required for long term disaster preparedness. Through the informative discussions, the panel and audience were able to explore various risk reduction methods for successfully reducing the impact of deterioration during hazards.
In unpacking these vital points, BMA asked Michal Singer to share her experiences in mitigating the effects of a disaster following her experience with the devastating fire at the Jagger Library in April 2021, which housed Special Collections. In responding, Ms Singer, the Head of Special Collections of UCT Library, noted that a disaster management plan is vital. Furthermore, creating an emergency referencing system will ensure that you are able to keep track of your collection during a disaster.
Singer also heeded the impact of human resources and lack, therefore, when extracting materials during a disaster. Remarking that calling for volunteers is one of the methods to alleviate the scarcity of human resources