Boca Raton Campus Library Hurricane Emergency Plan

Last Updated : February 28, 2024

Building Supervisor - Dean of University Libraries
(Dr. Linda Golian-Lui)
Office phone (561) 297-3789

1st Alternate Bldg. Supv. - Interim Assistant Dean of Public Services
(Kristy Padron )
Office phone (561) 297-1029

2nd Alternate Bldg. Supv. - Head, Access Services
(Steven Matthew)
Office phone (561) 297-4027

HURRICANE WATCH PREPARATIONS

Building Supervisor (or in his/her absence, next alternate) will notify the Senior Leadership Team, Department Heads and the Dean's Office (561-297-6762 or 561-297-0349) to follow procedures to protect equipment identified in their hurricane preparedness plans (see attached list, "Equipment to be protected in event of a hurricane").

Library Essential Personnel: Dr. Linda Golian-Lui (561-297-3717), Amy Kornblau (561-297-3789), Kristy Padron (561-297-1029), Steven Matthew (561-297-4027), Mahesh Neelakanta (561-297-2742), Hansy Ambroise (561-297-2069), Yom Chouloute (561-297-3793), Crystal Moro (561-297-4392), Hector Moyet (561-297-2068), Victoria Thur (561-297-3787), John Cutrone (561-297-0455), Eric Bush (561-297-4189), Alethea Perez (561-297-0080), Badara Taal (561-297-0350), Leah Plocharczyk (561-799-8685), Marilee Brown (561-799-8010), Danielle Rose (561-297-3764), Tina Angelo, Business Assistant at HBOI (772-528-9501), Will Muniz (561-297-4891)
Building Supervisor and alternates should communicate with each other to ascertain whether help is needed or if it is not necessary to come on campus.
Building Supervisor, Senior Leadership Team, and Department Heads will arrange to move portable equipment and cover stationary equipment with weighted and/or taped plastic sheets. HURRICANE SUPPLIES WILL BE STORED IN EACH DEPARTMENT.
1. It is the responsibility of the respective Senior Leadership Team member or Department Head to draft a list of equipment to be protected and to provide this list to the Building Supervisor or Alternate.
2. It is further the responsibility of these area supervisors to identify members of their respective staff who might expect to be able to participate in hurricane preparations. This list should also be provided to the Building Supervisor or Alternate.
Building Supervisor, Alternates, Senior Leadership Team, and Department Heads should each review FAU Policy Memorandum #1.14.
A battery-operated radio and flashlight will be kept in the Dean's Office (LY 242), and in the offices of the Head, Research and Instructional Services (LY 148), Collection Management (LY 102, LY 109, and LY 111), Information Technology Services (LY 313) and Jupiter Campus Library.
At least one flashlight will be kept in each department. Batteries should be tested each month during the hurricane season (June 1-November 30) and at the time of a hurricane watch.
If a storm seems to be approaching over a weekend, we will make hurricane preparations in the library on the Friday of the week. This may be in advance of any tropical storm or hurricane watches or warnings. As storm paths may be unpredictable, equipment preparations should be made prior to the weekend.

HURRICANE WARNING EVACUATION OF WIMBERLY LIBRARY

Upon official notification that a Hurricane Warning is in effect, the Building Supervisor will close the Library as follows:

Notify the Senior Leadership Team, Department Heads, the Dean’s Office, Coordinator of Computer Labs, and the Computer center (OIT) that the Library is closing. Supervisors will assure that their prearranged procedures for protecting departmental equipment have been or are being accomplished and notify department employees to evacuate the building for home or other safe shelter as soon as possible. If notification to close occurs on a weekend or at night, key Access Services personnel will attempt to contact the Building Supervisor. If Building Supervisor or alternates are not available or are unable to come on campus, key Access Services staff who are familiar with the procedures involved in closing the building will carry out evacuation and closing procedures in place of the Building Supervisor.
Notify Access Services Department staff to evacuate patrons and close building according to the following procedure:
1. An initial closing announcement is made and repeated once. If a deviation in the proposed announcement is necessary, it is determined at this time. Otherwise, the prescribed announcement is:
  "YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE. A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN DECLARED FOR THIS AREA. AT THIS TIME ALL PERSONS EXCEPT EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL SHOULD LEAVE THE CAMPUS."
2. The above announcement is made again in five minutes (10 minutes before closing) and repeated once.
3. A final announcement is made and repeated once at closing time:
  "THE LIBRARY IS NOW CLOSED. ALL UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS MUST LEAVE THE BUILDING AT THIS TIME. A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN DECLARED FOR THIS AREA. ALL PERSONS EXCEPT EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL SHOULD LEAVE THE CAMPUS. THE LIBRARY IS NOT A PUBLIC SHELTER AND MUST BE CLOSED."
4. The doors to the Library are locked.
5. The Access Services Supervisor and available assistants make a check of all floors, including restrooms and the group study rooms, to ascertain that all persons have left the building. Lights are turned off on floors and in rooms as they are checked. Office and study room doors are closed and locked.
6. An Access Services staff member remains at the Access Services Desk to watch for emergency personnel and answer the telephone while the final check is made.
7. Upon completion of the final check, ending approximately 15 minutes after the closing of the Library, the lights in the Access Services area are turned out and the doors are re-checked for proper locking.

EQUIPMENT TO BE PROTECTED IN EVENT OF A HURRICANE

The following is a checklist of equipment, by department or functional area to be protected. Unless otherwise noted, these items should be moved to protected areas of the building, if feasible. All equipment moved should be tagged or labeled with the department's or person's name for later identification. If there is not enough time or staff available to move items needing protection, all electronic and electrical equipment left in place should be unplugged from the power source, elevated off the floor, if possible, moved away from windows, if possible, and covered with plastic sheeting. All office doors should be closed and locked.

Abbreviations:

E = Elevate, if feasible
M = Move, if feasible
U = Unplug
C = Cover with sheeting

Access Services (Head, Access Services, responsible)
1. Records, files, etc. - C
2. PCs and peripherals - U
3. PCs near windows - U, C
4. Desks and files near windows - C
5. Photocopier - U, C
6. Loaded book trucks near windows - M
7. Public photocopy machines on all floors - U
8. Display cases in the atrium lobby and display cases, 2nd floor near Dean’s Office - C
9. Golf Carts - Move to Parking Garage 1
Administrative Suite (Office Manager, responsible)
1. Notify SEFLIN (877-733-5460 toll-free), Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach (297-4100) FAU Broward Campuses, Jupiter Campus and the Harbor Branch Campus that FAU Boca Campus is closing.
2. File cabinets - C
3. PCs - U, C
4. Printers - U, C
5. Secure Staff Lounge - Unplug microwave and refrigerator.
Building-General (Building Supervisor, responsible)
1. Check all electrical equipment (assure that all units are unplugged from electrical outlets)
Digital Library (Head, responsible)
1. Relocate any materials on trucks to 221 - C
2. PCs, printers, scanners in 221, 222- U, C
Collection Management (Assistant Dean for Collection Strategies and Discovery Services, responsible) – Includes all staff whose work spaces are located in LY 102, LY 109, and LY 111.
1. Telephones- U,C
2. File cabinets - C
3. PCs, mobile devices, printers - U,C
4. Air Filter - U,C
5. Photocopier – U,C
6. Loaded book trucks near windows – M
7. Microwave, coffee pots -U
8. Boxes of new monographic shipments – M
Interlibrary Loan (Manager of Interlibrary Loan, responsible)
1. Notify FLVC, TBLC, Rapid and the ILL listserv that FAU ILL is being shut down. Change OCLC status to non-lender (go lower case).
2. Scanners - M, U, C
3. PCs, printers, copiers, scanners and copy machines - U, C
Media Center (Assistant Director, Support Services, responsible)
1. Records, files, etc. - C
2. PCs and peripherals - U
3. PCs near windows - U, C
4. Desks and files near windows - C
5. Loaded book trucks near windows - M
Research and Instructional Services (Head, Research and Instructional Services, responsible)
1. PCs, printers, scanners and copy machines - U, C
2. Photocopy Machine - U, C
3. Compact shelving in Reference – Close (Head, Research and Instructional Services, responsible)
Special Collections/JCBA/RSA ( Assistant Dean of Special Collections, University Archives, & Distinctive Collections, Manager, Recorded Sound Archives, and Director, JCBA, responsible)

Locations:
Wimberly 2nd Floor East: SpC&A reception (261); processing room (254); closed stacks (263); supply room (265); staff offices (259, 262)
Wimberly 3rd Floor East: Jaffe Book Arts Center reception (350); book arts studio (350B); closed stacks (350C); storage (350G); staff offices (350D, 350E, 350F); collections gallery (351); curator's office (351C); letterpress studio (318A); staff room (318C)
Wimberly 5th Floor: SpC&A (room 501A)
Wimberly 5th Floor Recorded Sound Archives (room 501, 501B, 510, 515)
Wimbish 5th Floor: University Club Conference Room (552); Weiner space (550, 551, 554)
T-10: Papermaking studio
T-10: Book & Paper Studio
1. Archival materials near windows - M
2. PCs and peripherals - U, C
3. All computer equipment near windows - U, C
4. Boxes on floor: Move to bottom shelves or pallets
5. Papermaking equipment - M, C (as necessary) / Print equipment - U
6. One small refrigerator and microwave on the 5th floor in RSA (room 501b) – U
External Relations (Head, External Relations responsible)
1. Telephone- U, C
2. File Cabinets- C
3. PCs, printers- U, C
4. Photocopy machine- U, C
5. Microwave, coffee machine- U
Information Technology Services (ITS) (Director of Information Technology Services)
1. Keep all servers running (Specialist, Computer Applications responsible)
2. All other equipment in 313 – U, E If equipment is near a window – M, U, C
3. PCs, printers, and other peripheral equipment in student and staff areas – U, E. If equipment is near a window - M, U, C. In work areas, coordinate with persons responsible for the areas to ensure protection. (The time to start these preparations will be decided by the Director of Information Technology Services in consultation with the Interim Dean, University Libraries.) The Research and Instructional Services student computer area should be the last area to be shutdown.
4. An email should be sent to libstaff-l to remind library staff to:
  - Save any important work related files to their department shared drive
  - Submit a ticket to ITS (libticket@fau.edu) if their PC is located near a window
  - If ITS assistance is not needed, shutdown and unplug staff PCs before the library closes
  (This email should be sent out at least twice during the hurricane preparations timeframe. (Specialist, Computer Applications responsible)
5. In coordination with Assistant Director, Support Services, notify FLVC/FALSC (help@flvc.org) that FAU is closing due to approaching hurricane and that all Alma functions are being terminated. (Specialist, Computer Applications will perform this function in the absence of the Director of Information Technology Services)
6. In coordination with Assistant Director, Support Services, notify FLVC/FALSC (help@flvc.org) as soon as possible if the FAU Libraries reopens earlier than anticipated to request that the hours be adjusted so that the due hour is correct. (Specialist, Computer Applications will perform this function in the absence of the Director of Information Technology Services)
7. ITS staff will need a minimum of three hours to set-up student computer areas/public services desks prior to the library opening after the storm.
Development Office (Director of Development, responsible)
1. PCs and peripherals in 127 – U, C
Gruber Sandbox (Sandbox Manager and Sandbox Professors)
1. PCs near windows – U, M, C
2. PCs in cubicles and open area - U, C
3. Robot Dog - U, M, C
4. VR Equipment - U, M, C