Essential Competencies

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Deliver effective disaster health information services in an ethical manner.
Collaborating with health sciences information professionals to prepare health information resources and deliver these services
Promoting the utilization of various resources in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery to enhance community resilience

Facilitating technology access (including social media)
Promoting information and technology literacies
Developing infodemic management strategies to proactively counter mis/dis/malinformation through prebunking and debunking approaches

Developing community profiles and assessing local disaster information needs
Advocating for the local communities the libraries serve
Taking a leadership role in community engagement
Demonstrating creativity and flexibility in delivering community-centered information services during and after a disaster

Creating library disaster preparedness policies and plans, including salvaging damaged collections
Demonstrating proficiency in emergency and disaster management, including preparedness and response
Demonstrating the ability to staff it or the ability to train staff to serve in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
Being able to de-escalate situations and provide support during a crisis

Advocate for the sustainability of the library, including adequate funding
Facilitating crisis communications, which includes public relations and public speaking

Building and sustaining partnerships with public health government agencies and local government officials
Understanding community needs, including socio-economic factors, within the surrounding environment, to foster more effective collaboration

Identifying and cultivating qualified candidates for crisis leadership development
Promoting crisis leadership competencies among library staff

Conveying technical information about power, healthcare, and emergency systems during hazard events using clear, audience-appropriate language
Developing informational materials that align hazard forecasts with local facility operations and planning needs
Collaborating with professionals across sectors to align forecast data with service readiness and coordination

Creating visual and text-based alerts to clarify complex information and enhance utility for public-facing professionals, with a focus on environmental conditions to support timely response
Testing and refining message formats to ensure clarity and improve comprehension of the content
Using multiple formats and frequencies of updates to support time-sensitive decision-making

Collaborating with local professionals in health, safety, and emergency management to tailor information delivery and ensure that library services are aligned with first responders’ operational needs and support their critical functions
Partnering with other libraries and professional associations to develop training resources that enhance understanding of basic technical forecast information and its practical applications
Supporting internal organizational workflows with timely updates and interpretation of hazard-related information

Developing or adapting a data governance plan to ensure the preservation of digital objects collected before, during, and after a disaster event
Establishing or partnering with local community organizations to develop and maintain a community archive that preserves materials and resources collected from the local community

Documenting specific experiences related to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery during each crisis event to inform and improve future disaster policies and plans
Assessing the performance of library personnel during a disaster to guide improvements in staff training
Evaluating the library operations during a disaster to strengthen future disaster policies and plans
Integrating lessons from each disaster and post-disaster evaluations to implement meaningful changes in library services and community outreach programs, thereby strengthening resilience
Supporting community healing and the rebuilding of local capacity following each disaster incident