Dan Wilson, Associate Director for Collections & Library Services, recently created a  training course for libraries wishing to develop an easy-to-maintain Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).  Dan’s course, “In Case of Emergencies: Continuity of Operations (COOP) Planning” is now part of a suite of courses provided by the Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC), which is part of the National Library of Medicine.  All courses are free and are offered as continuing education to professionals interested in disaster preparedness.

To create the course, Dan drew from his experience as the former coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) Emergency Preparedness Initiative and his real-life experience here at the Health Sciences Library, where he takes the lead as the library’s Emergency Response Coordinator.  In addition, his experiences while working at the Family Assistance Center during the violence that occurred in Charlottesville on August 12, 2017 are prominently featured in the section on emotional care.

The course is self-paced and is organized into the following nine sections:

  1. What Is Continuity of Operations (COOP) Planning?
  2. Identification of Mission Essential Functions
  3. Human Capital / Order of Succession
  4. Continuity Communications
  5. Essential Records Management
  6. Continuity Facilities / Reconstitution
  7. Tests, Training, and Exercises
  8. Devolution of Control and Direction
  9. Emotional Care During and After a Disaster

Learning objectives include describing the function of COOP planning; identifying mission-essential functions; and creating a one-page continuity plan, which is presented as a template in order to facilitate the writing process and make it easier for libraries to complete.

For information about the course, please email Dan at danwilson@virginia.edu.