Emergency situations can happen unexpectedly anytime and anywhere. Although emergency situations at the Bellevue University Library are extremely rare, policies and procedures have been put in place should a disastrous event or emergency occurs. According to the ALA (American Library Association), a library disaster is any incident “that threatens human safety and/or damages or threatens to damage a library’s collections, contents, facilities or services.” Although the word “disaster” is a strong word, generally synonymous with “catastrophe,” it is important to note that an event does not have to be catastrophic in order for it to be disastrous in a library.
Proactive measures designed to handle medical emergencies and disruptions in service were created approximately 7 years ago. Due to recent upgrades, as well as personnel changes, we decided to take a closer look at the Bellevue University Library’s Disaster Preparedness Manual and update it to reflect current practices. The purpose of the Disaster Preparedness Manual is to be a resource should a medical emergency, disruption in service (such as a power outage or water main break) or emergency occur that would jeopardize the building’s structure, the library collection, or the safety of library staff and patrons (customers).
For example, in the event of a natural disaster, such as a tornado, the Library has two classrooms designated as tornado shelters for library staff and patrons. If 
library materials are damaged due to water or mold or fire, steps have been put in place to salvage damaged library materials. The Disaster Plan Manual also provides the names and phone numbers of local companies that specialize in recovering library materials. Other topics covered in the manual include steps to repair insect damage, vandalism, and flood damage.
In addition to preserving library materials, the Library’s Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Manual also includes the necessary steps needed in the case of other rare situations such as a gas leak, bomb threat, shelving unit collapse, suspicious package, active shooter, and medical emergency.
It is our hope that we will never need to use the manual, but we are also mindful that these situations could occur. We have the peace of mind that current processes, procedures, and resources are readily available to keep the Library staff, patrons, and resources safe and secure.
Originally posted in the Freeman/Lozier Library’s quarterly newsletter, More Than Books, V. 21 No. 3, Summer 2018.
For many Americans, Cinco de Mayo means enjoying Mexican food and probably a few margaritas. But Cinco de Mayo, which means May 5th in Spanish, is probably one of the most misunderstood Mexican holidays. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day, which is celebrated September 16th. Rather, Cinco de Mayo is a day that commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the French forces of Napoleon III on May 5, 1862 at the Battle of Puebla.
For more than six decades, the non-profit organization 
If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to lose weight, or to maintain a healthy weight, the Bellevue University Library has some helpful resources to coincide with the month of March, which is National Nutrition Month.
It is officially Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. As you head out to buy cards, candy, or flowers, it might be a good idea to stop by the Bellevue University Library first and check out some of our great movies. From comedies to adventures to dramas, the Bellevue University Library offers a wide variety of movies that feature love stories that will win you over. With that in mind, get a bowl of popcorn, your chocolate and one of the ten films below that can be borrowed from the Bellevue University Library for one week.
Deepwater Horizon
On January 5th of every year, nature lovers and bird watchers across the country recognize National Bird Day. National Bird Day is one of several designated holidays celebrating birds. The origin of National Bird Day dates back as early as 1894 when Charles Almanzo Babcok, who was the Superintendent of Schools in Oil City, Pennsylvania intended to have a day dedicated to advance bird conservation as a moral value. National Bird Day is technically not a national holiday, since it was not voted to be a holiday by Congress but nevertheless, January 5th of every year is popularly known as National Bird Day. 