Lecture presented to University of Alberta School of Library and Information Studies studies taking Human Information Interaction, fall 2014.

1. Information Needs in
Times of Crisis
Robin M Featherstone, MLIS
Research Librarian, Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence
@rmfeatherstone
Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/featherr
2014-11-24

2. Disasters & Libraries
• Historical focus on recovery of
materials
• Present interest in continuity of
operations planning
• Increasing involvement in
outreach by specialists
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3. Old book bindings at the Merton College Library by Tom Murphy VII CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
New Orleans, LA, September 5, 2008 – Evacuees wait in short links to board buses back toward their parishes by Jacinta Quesada (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public
domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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vs.

4. Agenda
 Disaster Management
 Disaster Identification Activity
 Information Needs by Disaster Management Professionals
 Roles for Librarians
 Outreach Discussion/Reflection
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5. Events, Emergencies, Disasters
By kaffeeeinstein from Berlin, Germany (Bahnhof Amstetten (Württemberg)) CC-BY-SA-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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6. How events become disasters
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Train derails
Train car
explodes
- Fire threatens
community
- Smoke makes people
sick
-Transported liquid
contaminates water
supply

7. Disaster: a serious disruption of the functioning of
society, causing widespread human, material or
environmental losses which exceed the ability of
affected society to cope using only its own resources.
Disaster definition from: http://www.wadem.org/guidelines/glossary.pdf
2009 Viareggio train eplosion 01.jpg by rabendeviaregia (IMG_3197 Uploaded by Diaa_abdelmoneim) CC-BY-SA-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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8. Disaster Identification Activity
 What geographic location did you select?
 What three hazards did you identify for this location?
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9. Disaster Management Phases
Before the Event During
the Event
A er the Event
Disaster Management Phases
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10. Disaster Workforce
 Local security personnel, police, peace officers
 Fire departments
 Public works, urban planners, engineers
 Regional & federal government employees
 Emergency medical personnel : paramedics / first responders
 Emergency departments
 Volunteers / Community organizations
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11. 2014-11-24

12. Patterns of information behaviour
 Search influenced by training
 Revisiting trusted sites
 Collecting observable data
 Access must be mobile
 Use supports decision-making
 Disaster management phase
determines need
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13. Identified information needs
 Lessons-learned
documents (case studies)
from peer-organizations
 Operations, procedures,
manuals, training
materials
 Legal documents
 Funding opportunities
 Potential local hazards
 Emerging hazards
 Vulnerable populations
 Current conditions,
surveillance documents
 News
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14. Identify the disaster management phase:
Planning, Response or Recovery?
 Lessons-learned
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documents (case studies)
from peer-organizations
 Operations, procedures,
manuals, training
materials
 Legal documents
 Funding opportunities
 Potential local hazards
 Emerging hazards
 Vulnerable populations
 Current conditions,
surveillance documents
 News

15. Key points
 Information is used by professionals during all disaster
management phases
 Compiled during planning phase
 Used for decision-making during response and recovery
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16. How have librarians seen their primary
role?
 66% - protecting, preserving, and providing access to
collections
 10% - fostering community relationships and providing
support
Zach, L. (March 30, 2011). Librarians’ Perceptions of Roles in Disaster Activities. [Presentation given at the Disaster Information Outreach Symposium, Bethesda, MD). Accessed April 2,
2012 from: http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?Live=10102
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17. Library support for disaster
management: 1836-2006
1836 –
 Disaster literature collection management by National Library of Medicine
(NLM)
1970s & 1980s
 Emergency services-related special libraries
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Library
• George F. Mand Library & Learning Center for the Fire Department of New York
• Illinois Fire Service Institute Library
• National Fire Protection Association Charles S. Morgan Technical Library
• National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) Library
• National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism Library
• Natural Hazards Center Library
2001 – 2006
 Public libraries “answering the call”
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18. Libraries AS shelters
“The library and the librarian
need to be part of any
community-wide disaster
response plan.
If the branch is above water,
then it will become an
emergency shelter anyways.”
- Sandy Farmer, Manager of the Central
Library Children’s Room at the Houston Public
Library, talks about how Hurricane Katrina
affected the public library in August 2005
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19. Libraries IN shelters
Children’s Library corner set up at Disaster Recovery Center
http://atyourlibrary.org/libraries/librarians-respond-emergencies
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20. What have been the roles of librarians?
1. Institutional supporters
2. Collection managers
3. Information disseminators
4. Internal planners
5. Community supporters
6. Government partners
7. Educators and trainers
8. Information community builders
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21. Case Example
 Missouri Baptist Medical Center Medical Library,
Incident Command Center
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22. Library as Incident Command Center
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23. Library as Incident Command Center
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24. Sample Information Services
 Provide evidence-informed instruction
 Participate in simulation training by first responders/receivers
 Monitor health agencies, international and local news
sources
 Maintain telecommunications networks in EOCs
 Assist in data recovery/archiving
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25. Disaster Information Specialists today
 Provide disaster-related library or information services as
part of their ongoing job functions
 Possesses knowledge and skills to support disaster
management
 Do more than protect library collections and maintain library
operations
 Complete accredited disaster information specialization
courses
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26. Earthquake Scenario - Recovery
You work for a hospital library and it is seven days after an earthquake
(8.5 magnitude). All utilities have been restored and library cleanup
efforts are underway. All staff are accounted for; aside from minor
injuries, everyone is unharmed. Local schools are closed until further
notice and one library assistant and one librarian are staying home to
look after their children.
Local residents and volunteers from outside the area are converging
on the hospital campus and the surrounding area. They have come to
the disaster zone to assist with cleanup and rebuilding.
The triage center is operating out of the hospital parking lot.
Healthcare personnel arrive from neighboring communities, and even
from other provinces, to assist.
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27. Earthquake Scenario - Questions
1. What could be information needs of these volunteers?
2. What are some services you or the library could offer?
3. What would be the implications for usual library operations
of offering these services?
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28. For further reading…
 Librarians and Libraries Respond to Disasters: Bibliography
on Library Roles in Disaster Preparedness, Response, and
Recovery:
http://disaster.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/bibliographydisaster.html
 Disasters and Medical Libraries Annotated Bibliography:
http://libraryschool.libguidescms.com/content.php?pid=3979
44&sid=3349807
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