Preservation Department

   Disaster & Emergency Response Team History

   The Stony Brook University Libraries’ Emergency Response Team (ERT) was established in October 1999 by then Head of the Preservation Department, Richie Feinberg.  At the time, Mr. Feinberg was engaged in a comprehensive, programmatic needs assessment.  He found that the for all the department’s many good deeds and work, the library was lacking in its ability to meet it responsibility to the campus community in the event of an emergency affecting collections.  With this concern in hand, he engaged the advice of library faculty and staff members, and began active disaster/emergency response planning.  During this initial effort, the need for a group of responsible staff trained in emergency response and the care and handling of damaged materials arose, and the Emergency Response Team was founded.  Soon after, the first team was established.  Its members were comprised of library experts, representing all major areas and functions of the University Libraries.