Disaster Management in College Libraries: a study in India

Purpose: Disaster can cause severe loss of properties, human lives and disrupting normal services in the society. Libraries are not immune to disasters and have to be well prepared for such eventualities especially in a disaster prone area like Assam. The present study has been undertaken to investigate the disaster preparedness in the college libraries. Method: The study employs the survey method with questionnaire as the chief tools used for collecting relevant data from the libraries. Results: The study found that majority of the college libraries lacked disaster preparedness such as emergency exits, written disaster plans, fire alarms, emergency power supply, prohibiting activities such as smoking, data backup and insurance. Conclusion: Most of the college libraries under the study are found to be very ill prepared to confront a situation coming out of the disaster