Emergency Response

Two books with cockled pages caused by water damage.

Service Description: Library Collections Emergency Team (LCET)

The LCET is a group of full-time conservators and preservation librarians in Preservation Services in the Harvard Library. The team is on call 24 hours a day to provide advice and assistance during and in the immediate aftermath of emergencies that threaten or affect Harvard Library collections.
Services include:

  • 24-hour advisory assistance by cell phone (617) 240-2500 in emergencies involving library collections
  • Direct assistance with response and salvage in cases involving more materials than can be recovered by the local library staff or other complicating factors
  • Access to library-owned freeze-drying equipment (limited capacity is available) 
  • Recommendations for commercial disaster recovery services 
  • Coordination of services with University Operations Center
  • Emergency preparedness, planning, and response information 
  • Training workshops 

Request information and/or services 

To request LCET assistance during an emergency, please call (617) 240-2500.  
For general LCET information, please contact Priscilla Anderson, Senior Preservation Librarian, Weissman Preservation Center, Harvard Library, (617) 495-8596, or Lauren Telepak, Collections Conservator, Collections Care, Harvard Library, (617) 384-6749. 

Harvard Emergency Response Procedures