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Library Disaster

Preparedness Project

For nearly ten years, the research team of Dr. Feili Tu-Keefner, Denise Lyons, and April Hobbs have been studying libraries during disasters. There have been many examples of how libraries served their communities through response and recovery.

Media

Find videos and photos showcasing key moments from the project.

Resources

Find a curated selection of resources to help organizations and communities prepare for disasters and emergencies. Some of the resources featured are contributed from colleagues and participants across the field.

Get in Touch

Please use the following link to get in touch with us.

Latest News

Libraries on the Front Lines

The Imperative for Disaster-Ready Information Professionals

Libraries, particularly local public libraries, have evolved into hubs for community-first services, extending beyond traditional roles. Library personnel are now expected to act as first responders and crisis leaders during times such as natural disasters. This report documents the critical crisis leadership qualifications required for library personnel…

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Lessons in Resilience

Libraries’ Roles in Disaster Preparedness and Recovery | Climate Crisis

The vital role libraries play in their communities has been well documented, yet many libraries are overlooked, and certainly underfunded, for their significant involvement in disaster preparedness and recovery. A small team (of which I am a part) has dedicated 10 years to researching the value of libraries through disasters…

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Use the links below to guide you to the resources we have compiled from across the project. You can find presentations from conferences, photos, videos, publications, and in-depth information and resources from each location we have studied.

California

Resources from our study in Northern California from October – November 2022 featuring resources from NorthNet Library System’s Recovering Together project.

Media

Videos and photos from across our project, including early interviews and weather videos.

Presentations

Find our presentations from conferences – including presentations from ALA, PLA, and more.

Publications

Explore the publications that we have done since the beginning.

Research Team

Get to know the research team.

Resources

Explore the many resources that we have gathered across the project – including resources from NorthNet Library System in California, to Kentucky.

South Carolina

This is where it all started. See what we found at the very beginning of the project.

Studies

Find our research design and protocol, plus summaries of all five studies.

Texas

Explore what we found when we studied Houston Public Library’s response to Hurricane Harvey.

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This website is a grant awarded by the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 2. The project will summarize four research findings on libraries’ and librarians’ services before, during, and after disasters, including hurricanes, floodings, and wildfires.