Intergovernmental Preparedness for Essential Records

The Council of State Archivists (CoSA) developed the two courses listed below as part of its Intergovernmental Preparedness for Essential Records (IPER) Project which was funded by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Both courses were originally developed as instructor-led webinars then adapted for self-directed instruction.

There are two main IPER courses: 

1. Essential Records
2. Records Emergency Planning and Response

Together they are designed to prepare state and local governments to protect records before, during, and after disasters and other emergencies. The courses focus especially on those records that are essential for the resumption of government operations after a disaster, a critical consideration in continuity of operations (COOP) planning.

The IPER courses are targeted at state, local, and regional government employees who are responsible for creating and maintaining government records of any kind and in any format (both paper and electronic), including city and county clerks, recorders, administrators, COOP and emergency preparedness personnel, and information technology staff.

Please note: The courses below should be viewed using Internet Explorer. Other browsers may report errors or warnings but will still allow you to continue the course.