Task Force Responds to Midwest Floods
Beginning in June, flooding in the Midwest caused serious damage to many libraries, museums, archives, and historic properties. Within hours of the first reports, Heritage Preservation and the Heritage Emergency National Task Force responded by connecting response agencies with cultural heritage leadership in affected states and providing information resources for collecting institutions and the public.
Providing Response and Recovery Resources
Entrance to the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa in Cedar Rapids, IA. Photo courtesy of Nancy E. Kraft, Preservation Librarian, University of Iowa Libraries.
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Several critical resources were made readily available to flood victims. A 10-minute segment on coping with water damage from the award-winning
Field Guide to Emergency Response is now posted on Heritage Preservation’s Web site as a
free streaming video. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Endowment for the Humanities provided support to make this video widely accessible.
As part of its “Lessons Applied” project following Hurricane Katrina, the Heritage Emergency National Task Force produced the online Guide to Navigating FEMA and SBA Funding. This concise text leads cultural institutions and arts organizations through the process of applying to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and FEMA. Thanks to support from IMLS and the National Endowment for the Arts, a print version of the Navigation Guide—with all necessary forms—is now in the hands of flood-damaged institutions in the Midwest. Heritage Preservation will also send copies of Guide to state agencies and associations around the country to make them aware of this handy resource.
The library of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, IA was severely damaged. Photo courtesy of Nancy E. Kraft, Preservation Librarian, University of Iowa Libraries.
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A press release providing concise tips for the general public on saving family treasures was distributed to Task Force members, local media, and state agency contacts in the flooded region. Both “Save Your Treasures the Right Way” and the Navigation Guide are featured on the Heritage Preservation’s
Flooding Resources Web page.
Creating a Clearinghouse
Heritage Preservation established a mechanism for posting and viewing reports of damage and offers of assistance. This helped Task Force members track the progress response and recovery, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of Interior officials consulted the reports to ensure that assistance was being provided in areas where it was needed.
Mold growing on books removed from the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa in Cedar Rapids, IA. Photo courtesy of Nancy E. Kraft, Preservation Librarian, University of Iowa Libraries.
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A series of four weekly conference calls hosted by Heritage Preservation brought together representatives of FEMA, state agencies and associations involved in the flood response, and national organizations offering recovery assistance. The calls provided an opportunity to share damage reports and coordinate response and recovery efforts more effectively. Staff from the Louisiana and Mississippi State Historic Preservation Office even joined one call just to offer guidance based on their experiences following Hurricane Katrina. Summaries of the calls are posted on the
Flooding Resources Web page.
As recovery continues, Heritage Preservation and the Heritage Emergency National Task Force will remain in contact with state agencies and associations to ensure subsequent needs are met.
