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.

Participant Comments from past NEDCC training programs:

• “My team and I have been trying to create a Disaster Response Plan for a couple of years now. In the face of other more pressing projects and in light of the overwhelming feeling that a Disaster Response Plan inspires, it's never been finished. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and think we can actually make this happen now.” (Writing a Disaster Plan webinar participant)
• “It was very helpful to have [the disaster planning] process explained and then broken down into step-by-step tasks with the included documents. What was initially an overwhelming prospect became more manageable when approached one thing at a time.” (Writing a Disaster Plan webinar participant)
• “The workshop gave me resources for long term use that I did not have before. Having a seasoned instructor was awesome!” (Emergency Preparedness and Response Workshop participant)
• “It gives me a strong foundation upon which to build a disaster plan, train my staff, and protect our patrons and our materials. It is a workshop that helps librarians sleep better at night.” (Emergency Preparedness and Response Workshop participant)

TO LEARN MORE about the ERICS program, view the Agenda.