“Thinking outside the box”

The aim of the project is to establish cooperative emergency management across three specialized libraries in Munich, which have a related subject focus, identical materials and are of a similar size. The participating libraries include include the library and archive of the Institute for German Culture and History of Southeastern Europe, the library community of the Scientific Library in the Sudeten German House, represented by the Collegium Carolinum and the Adalbert Stifter Association, as well as the library of the House of the German East.
 
Both the scientific library of the Sudeten German House and the Institute for German Culture and History of Southeastern Europe contain books with water damage. In addition, the scientific library in the Sudeten German House and the House of the German East are located on the banks of the Isar River and are thus exposed to flood hazards. A section of the library at the Institute for German Culture and History of Southeastern Europe is at basement level and is therefore at risk of flooding in the event of heavy rainfall.
 
Regardless of specific dangers such as these, emergency prevention is an important task that is often neglected, especially by small institutions. This is usually due to a lack of personnel and a lack of foresight around risk awareness. The cooperation of these four institutions will allow for greater synergy in terms of how personnel and materials are used. Sustainable structures can be established and practical knowledge shared and imparted.

As part of the project, emergency kits were purchased for three libraries and initial structural discussions were held for decisions to be reached on how the institutions would provide mutual assistance in an emergency. In addition, two staff members from the participating institutions have taken part in a further training course at the LMU Munich to become fire protection assistants. Further training courses were planned for the staff of the facilities, which would enable them, with the help of experts, to gain practical knowledge around preparing an emergency plan and to learn how to act in an acute emergency for the best possible protection of people and cultural assets. These courses had to be cancelled due to the restrictions for the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.