International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection

A critical need of any institution or organization is an objective, well-thought out, tested, and re-tested Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).  Because of changing environments and a number of elements affecting the organization’s ability to handle crisis, the EOP needs to be a fluid, constantly changing document.

Putting together a proper EOP requires input from major stakeholders within the organization; a thorough analysis of operational procedures, policies, and assets; as well as consideration of the administration’s operating philosophies.   This may be a difficult and time-consuming process.  With over 35 years of experience in public safety, emergency management, emergency response coordination, and protection planning, we are in an excellent position to assist any size or scope of organization with the formulation of, upgrade, or composition of, a complete Emergency Operations Plan.  Our proven format is easily adoptable for special situations or specific needs.  We are pleased to offer three distinct levels of service:

1. Evaluation, preparation, and publication of a basic Emergency Operations Plan
2. Coordination, planning, and facilitation of a tabletop emergency exercise
3. Preparation, coordination, and facilitation of a live, “hands-on” exercise

Our team of recognized experts will visit your site, interview key personnel, review existing documents, perform a risk analysis survey of your facilities, and prepare a suitable document.  This is as close to “turn-key” as you can get, saving your organization a considerable amount of time, effort, and money.

The above described services are available worldwide.  Fees are quoted based on the size of the organization and its facilities, and the time necessary to conduct an on-site evaluation, gather organizational information, and produce a professional EOP outline.

For additional information and price quotations, please contact:

Layne Consultants International
Phone: 303-377-2176
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
URL: www.layneconsultants.com

Acuity-vct has developed and deployed a proactive surveillance system called the Camera Motion Alarming System (CMAS).  This system leverages industry leading analytics technology to protect irreplaceable artwork and artifacts currently on display at many museums nationally including the Butler Institute of American Art, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Princeton University Art Museum, the Commonwealth Museum, the Vatican Exhibit at the National Museum of Funeral History and many others.  This unique system provides a flexible way to define protection zones within each exhibit under surveillance in any shape or size required.  When these protective zones are breached, the CMAS detects the changes in the images, automatically sounding audio and/or visual alarms.  In addition, Acuity-vct has enhanced this product to automatically send alerts to the museums security personnel along with an email or text messages. 

This system was developed specifically for the museum industry and has been deployed with virtually zero false alarms. 

The protection zones are invisible to your guests, but never miss seeing a security breach and immediately inform your entire staff the second a breach occurs.  It’s like hiring an unlimited number of reliable security guards to watch your entire collection.  

“Our system now uses surveillance cameras to place invisible protective barriers around anything we choose.  When any barrier is breached, my staff is immediately notified so action can be taken.  It’s as if I’ve added an electronic guard for each piece in our collection which is totally invisible and does not distract our guest’s view of our exhibits”. 

                                        Dr. Louis Zona, Executive Director
                                       The Butler Institute of American Art – Youngstown, Ohio

The VCS can also provide immediate budget savings while dramatically enhancing security for your collection.

“We have saved nearly $20,000 in payroll and benefit costs to date and we feel we are now better protected than ever”

                                       Craig Hoppock, Museum Superintendent
                                       Princeton University Art Museum-Princeton, New Jersey

The Princeton Art Museum saved this money in just the first few months after installation.  The system dramatically enhanced Princeton's existing security force eliminating extra contract guards for special events and when their existing security personnel called off.

The attached link provides a client profile on the Acuity-vct system deployment at the Butler Institute of American Art http://www.acuity-vct.com/customers/profile_butler.php.  Please visit www.acuity-vct.com for more information on this powerful system.

FOLSOM, CA – On November 12, 2010, two of California’s largest library associations will present Navigating the New, a premier continuing education and exhibition that will combine both Associations’ annual event into one extravaganza.

The California Library Association (CLA) and the California School Library Association (CSLA) have formally announced this collaboration, bringing together the state’s library community with a focus on both current and future trends.

By combining two Annual Conferences into one event, conference attendees will have the option to participate in a wide and impressive range of professional development workshops and networking events. Additionally, it is anticipated that the combination of each Association’s Exhibition will nearly double the number of exhibitors on display at the Sacramento Convention Center.

The 2010 CLA & CSLA Conference and Exhibition will be open to members of the library community as well as the general public, with early-bird registration expected to begin in early August of 2010. Registration materials and a joint exhibitor and sponsorship prospectus will be available soon.

For information on how to attend Navigating the New, November 12-15, 2010 at the Sacramento Convention Center visit www.cla-net.org and follow updates @CalLibAssoc on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CalLibAssoc.

About the California Library Association

Established in 1895, the California Library Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association that provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services, librarianship, and the library community. CLA helps its 3,000 members excel in a fast-changing job market and is a resource for learning about new ideas and technology. Furthermore, CLA is a leading advocate on all statewide library issues and actively works to influence legislation affecting libraries and librarians. Governed by an elected Board of Directors, CLA is headquartered in Folsom, California.

For a copy of this release, please click here: http://www.cla-net.org/weblog/PR_Navigating_the_New.pdf

Richard Berta
Membership, Marketing & Communications Director
California Library Association
950 Glenn Drive, Suite 150
Folsom, CA 95630
Phone: (916) 233-3298
Fax: (916) 932-2209

Follow CLA on Facebook and Twitter!

Thieves Bore Hole Through Library Wall
$12K Worth Of Computer Equipment Stolen

Ripped out of the pages of a novel, some bold thieves bored through the
wall of a Philadelphia library and stole thousands of dollars worth of computers.

Now, the people who depend on those computers are pleading for help.  The novel and the movie Shawshank Redemption come to mind, but instead of 20-odd years it took thieves several hours to smash through the brick wall, taking with them the lifeline of an entire community, Fox 29's Julie Kim reported.

The picture shows the work of some dedicated thieves at the Cecil B. Moore Branch Free Library located on Cecil B. Moore and Ridge avenues.

"Someone had burrowed a hole through the wall and came and stole all of the computers," library patron Marjorie Lazenby said.

Six harddrives, eight computer monitors and the accessories to go with them were all ferreted away through a hole in the wall.

On the other side is a vacant home the thieves used for cover.

"Who would even think of something like that?" Lazenby asked.

It's been a plot in novels and movies, but here in the real world the theft of the $12,000 worth in equipment means people like Lazenby lost a reliable way to access the Internet.

"I went to look for an apartment and look for another job," she said.  "And that's heartbreak to me because I use them at least twice a week. I need them. I don't have a computer at home."

Jonathan Mathis described his use of the library computers as "looking for work, you know, on as many online career sites as I can find."

The thieves left the card catalog and the printing computers alone, perhaps deterred by the surveillance computer.

For now, there's no more free computer or Internet access and, according to the signs posted inside the library, due to drastic budget cuts funding may not be available to replace them.

"If anybody out there can help, please help. We need the help," Lazenby said.

Police have not reported any arrests, and investigators could use some leads. So, if you have any information, you're asked to contact them.

Kim did speak to someone from the Free Library of Philadelphia, who told her they are hoping to get new computers installed, but they first need to figure out how to safeguard the building.