This essential guide covers the basics of planning to safeguard your library's digital assets-library catalog and circulation data, online resources, etc.-by taking advantage of cloud-based storage.

Natural and human-made disasters, whether large-scale or as simple as accidental damage to an electrical circuit, can disrupt library operations and services by blocking access to the essential computer systems upon which we all rely. This book gives readers the basics of emergency planning and disaster preparedness for library digital assets, providing librarians with recovery planning tools and tips for making cloud-based disaster plans work for their libraries. Written by an expert with close to two decades' experience in library environment technology, Planning Cloud-Based Disaster Recovery for Digital Assets will help staff at libraries of all types make contingency plans for emergencies big and small.

Readers will learn how thoughtful contingency and recovery plans can greatly mitigate damages caused by any number of unforeseen disasters and how cloud-based storage can serve to store and protect their library's digital assets. By following the book's recommendations to achieve digital redundant back-up, multiple access points, and larger storage capacity, a library can stay operational on the Internet despite emergencies that force building closures. Also included are appendixes of checklists for disaster planning and for evaluating cloud vendors as well as a comprehensive bibliography.

Robin M. Hastings is director of technology services at the Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS) in Lawrence, KS.