A Scott County resident and graduate of Georgetown College, she remembers approaching her new assignment as Trustee with lots of questions - a new experience for someone accustomed to finding and sharing answers with her young pupils. "When I was approached to serve, I knew I would be interested in it", yet she was familiar with the library as a patron, not a trustee, and she took her role learning the details of budgeting and management very seriously. Her approach - "To learn as much about the library as I can", while earning her  Trustee Certification in 2012, increased her confidence  during a term she described as addressing "constant change. There has never been a dull moment," said Cooper, smiling.

     The list of challenges included establishing policies responsive to changes in technology. Acknowledging how books are now accessed in many different formats as technology changes, Cooper believes the central question a library needs to address is "Are we, as trustees and staff, evolving to meet the needs of the people who come to this library?"

     Cooper is clearly enthusiastic about Scott County Public Library's future. And although this soft-spoken, modest and dedicated volunteer will never admit it - she has played much more than "just a small part" in guiding the library through its current and future challenges.  "When I visit - when I come back, I am so proud. You can tell a difference about our library - it is clean, efficient and there are so many smiling faces," said Cooper. "The community rooms are full, the computers are always full" and so, it would seem Cooper's search for answers has yielded positive results.  

Writing a Disaster Recovery Plan

     At the 2013 Kentucky Public Library Association/ Kentucky Library Trustees Round Table Spring Conference, I shared a presentation called "Writing a Disaster Recovery Plan". This presentation included various aspects of mitigating and preparing for disasters, as well as strategies and resources for responding to and recovering from disasters. Disaster preparation for libraries can range from having basic supplies on hand (plastic sheeting, fans), to recruiting and training a Disaster Response Team to coordinate staff and volunteer response efforts, to developing relationships with other libraries, agencies and professional recovery companies in the event of large or wide-area disasters.

      Every disaster is different. Some are so small as to generally go unnoticed by a library's patrons, such as a leaky pipe, others, such as a tornado, are impossible to ignore. No library can prepare for every contingency, but every library can have the basic tools, training and resources to plan for effective response to and efficient recovery from even the most severe disasters. Having a written, reviewed, updated and approved Disaster Recovery Plan can go a long way toward ensuring that the staff and administration of a library is prepared to act appropriately when disaster strikes. The process of assessing risks, planning, researching and writing a Disaster Recovery Plan are just as important as having the final, finished product.