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The purpose of this paper is to examine how an academic institution may more effectively respond to a disaster. In this particular situation the issues are being investigated in the context of a hurricane event. From 2005 to 2008 two hurricanes directly hit Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. This paper examines the impact Hurricane Ike, the latter of these hurricanes, had on this academic institution. This research shares valuable insight into the vulnerabilities confronting academic institutions during natural disasters and highlights the lessons learned.

This is a practitioner paper which applies survey data and qualitative interviews of key decision makers.

Success in the aftermath of this disaster required serious consideration and forethought in institutional preparedness and continuity planning. Specifically, success relied on adequately prioritizing the recovery effort, effectively addressing communication and financial concerns, fostering administrative empowerment in the decision process, and devoting sufficient consideration to the development of alternative academic calendars.

The paper identifies issues of practical significance which academic institutions should consider when developing emergency plans related to natural disasters.

This paper contains new information about the impact of a natural disaster on an academic institution. The issues addressed are of value to comparable institutions in the process of developing their response and recovery plans.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the long-term impacts of hurricanes on schools and discuss approaches to improving recovery efforts.

Interviews with 20 school districts in Texas and North Carolina after Hurricanes Harvey (2017) and Matthew (2016). In total, 115 interviews were conducted with teachers, principals, district superintendents and representatives from state education agencies. Interview questions focused on the impact of storms and strategies for recovery.

The authors uncovered three long-term impacts of hurricanes on schools: (1) constrained instructional time, (2) increased social-emotional needs and (3) the need to support educators.

This paper focuses on two storms, in two states, in two successive years. Data collection occurred in Texas, one academic year after the storm. As compared to the North Carolina, data collection occurred almost two academic years after the storm.

This paper illuminates strategies for stakeholders to implement and expedite hurricane recovery through; (1) updating curricula plans, (2) providing long-term counselors and (3) supporting educators in and out of school.

To date, very few studies have explored the ways in which schools face long-term impacts following a disaster. This paper provides insight to the challenges that prolong the impacts of disasters and impede recovery in schools. With hurricanes and related disasters continuing to affect schooling communities, more research is needed to identify the best ways to support schools, months to years after an event.

To assess which partnerships were most critical during the recovery planning process following Hurricanes Maria and Irma. We discuss the roles and impact of different types of partners, barriers and facilitators to partnerships and lessons in collaboration during the development of the economic and disaster recovery plan for Puerto Rico.

The Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) was tasked with assisting the Puerto Rican government with an assessment of damages from Hurricanes Maria and Irma and the development of the Recovery Plan. During the process, a small team compiled and coded a database of meetings with non-HSOAC partners. The team was divided into sector teams that mirrored FEMA’s Recovery Support Functions. Each sector completed two surveys identifying high impact partners and their roles and contributions, as well as barriers and facilitators to partnerships.

A total of 1,382 engagements were recorded across all sectors over seven months. The most frequently identified high impact partners were federal and Puerto Rican governmental organizations partners. NGOs and nonprofits were noted as key partners in obtaining community perspective. Sector teams cited a lack of trust and difficulty identifying partners as barriers to partner engagement. Given the expedited nature of disaster response, establishing partnerships before disasters occur may help facilitate community input. Early networking, increased transparency and defining roles and responsibilities may increase trust and effectiveness among partnerships.

To our knowledge, this is one of the few studies that quantifies and illustrates the partnerships formed and their contributions during recovery planning, and lessons learned.

The purpose of this chapter is to report on the effects of a natural disaster on the tourism sector of Grand Bahama Island (GBI). This chapter explores the process of tourism destination recovery. Tourism destination recovery has become an important area of study in Small Island Developing States (SIDs). SIDs have been subject to increasing external shocks based on the state of the natural environment including climate change. GBI is the northernmost populated island in The Bahamas and the island has been impacted by several hurricanes within recent times including Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Dorian in 2019. A review of the tourism literature revealed that tourism destination recovery is an underresearched area in the Caribbean. Data were collected from stakeholder interviews to determine the process of tourism destination recovery. Findings revealed the importance to focus on product development, marketing, and coordination aspects of a tourism destination in recovery. This chapter offers a path towards tourism destination recovery by highlighting some of the challenges of the process, with consideration of a recovery framework for tourism destinations.

This chapter introduces Building Back Better Libraries (BBBL) as a critical concept for improved library planning both prior to and following a disaster or other emergency. Building Back Better, an idea widely discussed in the disaster recovery literature, seeks to use the difficulty of a disaster as an opportunity to go beyond the status quo and to promote changes that result in stronger, more resilient communities. The authors will define BBB elements and frameworks, building upon those to create a model for library disaster planning and recovery, and applying it to cases involving space and facilities, collections, services, and people.

Literature on the Building Back Better concept and frameworks, as well as library emergency response, was reviewed. This source material was used to develop a modified framework for improved library disaster planning and recovery. The Building Back Better Libraries framework is discussed and applied to cases involving library facilities and spaces, collections, and services, and its implementation through a disaster planning team is reviewed.

Though all libraries hope to avoid disaster, few succeed. One survey found that as many as 75% of academic library respondents had experienced a disaster or emergency. Evidence also suggests that few libraries are prepared, with as many as 66–80% of libraries reporting that they have no emergency plan with staff trained to carry it out. Even when plans are in place, the rush to respond to immediate needs following a disaster can overwhelm the ability to pursue effective long-term planning. Building Back Better, when framed for libraries, provides a planning tool to balance short-term response with long-term recovery and resilience. The Building Back Better Libraries framework focuses on the areas of risk assessment for library collections and spaces; recovery and rejuvenation for facilities, collections, and services; and implementation and monitoring, with particular discussion of the human element and the role of a library disaster planning team.

The proposed framework, Building Back Better Libraries (BBBL), can be used to strengthen disaster planning in a manner that balances meeting immediate needs with implementing longer term plans to create stronger and more resilient libraries.

Although aspects of BBB ideas are present in existing library literature, the concept is not formally defined for the library context.

This paper aims to determine household perceptions of disaster recovery plan development and implementation, and to identify groups that may be less aware of the recovery planning process to provide recommendations to officials for improving participation in planning and resident support of implementation priorities.

Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 194 residents of a US Atlantic coast county impacted by Hurricane Irene. Respondents were selected via a two-stage cluster sampling method automated through the use of a Geographic Information Systems toolkit.

Although few households reported participation in the county’s recovery planning process, a majority felt that the plan would be better if it incorporated input from a wide range of stakeholders. The number one reason residents did not participate was the lack of knowledge that they could. Some vulnerable populations were less aware of the recovery plan, including the elderly and those living in poverty, while others were more aware, including those with children and those without access to a working vehicle. Respondents prioritized recovery activities around infrastructure and public safety, yet ranked activities related to public information and housing as less important.

This paper highlights potential successes of emergency management outreach and identifies groups that are not being reached during recovery planning. The paper provides insight on resident priorities for recovery after disaster.

There has been little research on the implementation of recovery plans and few studies that have examined the behaviors and opinions of households with regard to recovery plan development and implementation.

The purpose of this paper is to examine one academic library and how the staff dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

A case study of the Tulane Recovery Center in New Orleans that was created after Hurricane Katrina in cooperation with Library Associates Companies (LAC).

Institutions may have a disaster plan outlined as to what to do in an emergency but in actuality one is never fully prepared for a natural disaster.

This paper examines the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on the Howard‐Tilton Memorial Library at Tulane University and the creation of the Tulane Recovery Center, which can serve as a model for other to follow.

The purpose of this paper is to explain the procedures taken by public library staff in response to extensive damage to a research collection due to a large natural disaster.

Based on the methodology used by one research collection in response to a large‐scale disaster, recommendations are presented in the paper for future disaster planning and creating an individualized disaster response.

The study finds that each institution develops different procedures in the wake of disasters, and creating a unique disaster plan and response is key to the successful recovery of collections.

The methods used in response to Hurricane Katrina may not necessarily correspond to other types of disasters or all institutions; however, planning for all types of disasters is encouraged. A selected bibliography is included that provides current resources on the subject.

Methods utilized in the Biloxi Public Library's response to Hurricane Katrina and lessons learned may be applicable to other institutions and the future of disaster response and collection recovery.

While recounting the impact of Hurricane Katrina on one collection, there are recommendations for the future of disaster planning at the institutional level.