Need new resources or expertise for the post-COIVD environment? LYRASIS is pivoting our consulting practices to serve you now
Look, we all know we are living in unprecedented, challenging times. This email isn’t about that. This is about the very real, very new ways that our members are conducting their work and how we are adapting our services to match. Our goal is to meet you where you are so that you can be prepared for what is to come.
How are archives managing their physical collections during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Katy Klettlinger, LYRASIS Consultant and Outreach Representative, recently authored an assessment of current collecting practices and how archives are managing the public health concerns of viral contamination on physical items. The resulting report, Collecting Archival Materials During the COVID-19 Pandemic, is a free resource available for all on our website, and can help you understand how your cohort organizations are handling similar challenges.
Need to bolster your digital readiness for our new, socially distanced world?
Given physical closures and social distancing needs, we know that archives are facing new challenges for preserving collections in digital formats. That means that demands are going up and the traditional methods for handling them are less available. Tom Clareson and Leigh Grinstead are performing virtual site surveys on preservation and digital program needs for all sizes of libraries, archives and museums. They’ve shifted their consulting techniques to include surveys, tutorials, virtual meetings, focus groups and more. The goal is to engage people as much as possible while using technology to keep everyone safe. Including you and your team.
What about emergency preparedness in the midst of a public health emergency?
Tom Clareson is also helping organizations nationwide learn how to protect their assets, sustain operations and be prepared for emergencies. And who doesn’t need that these days?
How are you making your physical space both safe and welcoming when you re-open?Katy Klettlinger is focused on space and strategic planning services and is ready to help you. Organizing spaces with public health and safety in mind is a high priority. In addition to providing recommendations for adapting physical spaces in the report referenced above, Collecting Archival Materials During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Klettlinger is keeping a close eye on a study for office spaces aimed at reducing virus transmission that is being created by Steelcase in partnership with MIT. The findings from this study will benefit libraries, archives, and museums by providing guidelines for furniture placement, cleaning, and space setup to keep users safe. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.