Hi Cathy - Here in Connecticut a number of us are using it.  We have an
excellent program called "Conservation ConneCTion" which is Connecticut's
response to the Connecting to Collections initiative funded by the Institute
of Museum and Library Services.  Conservation ConneCTion is partnering with
NEDCC to offer a series of workshops on disaster planning and the use of
dPlan.  

 

All those participating in the program are starting in dPlan lite, which I
find excellent!  I'm consulting with a site which has 4 separate historic
structures and once I complete the plan for the main site, with assistance
from NEDCC, I will be able to clone it for the other buildings, changing
what needs to be changed.  

 

NOTE:  dPlan address collections disaster planning and recovery ONLY.  For
my client, they had an excellent emergency plan for life safety issues (i.e.
dealing with school groups & visitors), but it did not address collections
emergencies.  If you don't have an emergency plan for your visitors, you'll
need to do that planning outside of dPlan.

 

The great thing about dPlan is that it is an online template which insures
several key things

 

1)     You can access the information from anywhere (I've been working on it
even when snowed in at home). 

2)     If you have multiple sites, you can clone it and only change those
areas that are unique to each site, such as shut off valve location, etc.

3)     Because it has been professionally written, it includes a number of
things you might not think of - I know it did for me.

 

Also, if staff doesn't have expertise in disaster planning, that's ok if you
plug into dPlan - there is so much good information contained in dPlan, it
directs you to gather the information you need!  I would suggest calling and
speaking with Donia Conn about it - feel free to tell her I suggested you
call.

 

As for security concerns, there really isn't much data in the plan that I
would consider sensitive - really only the salvage priorities.  But even
that is couched in such terms that I don't consider it a big security
concern.  And PLEASE don't use that as an excuse for not doing the disaster
plan.don't put off the planning - this is a critical step for your
institution!  Good luck!

 

Sincerely,

VivianLea Solek

Curatorial & Collections Management Consultant

580 Wheeler Road

Monroe, CT  06468

203-308-0279 Cell

203-268-7940 Home

[log in to unmask]

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Cathy Osterman [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 11:30 AM
Subject: d-Plan for Disaster Planning

 

Hi all,
 
Does anyone have experience using the d-Plan from Northeast Document
Conservation Center for creating their own disaster plan? An historic site
in town was researching disaster plan templates and came across the d-Plan.
What are the pros and cons to using it? Are there security concerns with
having your information stored remotely on the web? Any thoughts or comments
on it would be helpful. I will pass them along to the site. Thank you!  
 
 
Cathy Osterman
Curator of Collections
CFD Old West Museum
Cheyenne, WY

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