Hello all,

On another librarian listserv I’m on the conversation this morning evolves around the most recent school shooting and a question posed by that community’s library director: “what to offer at the library tomorrow, as the schools are closed.” The son of the school librarian was injured and another librarian colleague’s child is comatose. This can happen anywhere, anytime.

So, I wanted to remind you that the Library of Michigan sponsored a MLIS capstone project in 2017, and we do have a toolkit available to help your youth services department prepare, in advance, for a community or natural crisis. Please follow the link below for the toolkit. You can also find the Youth Services programming During a Time of Crisis posted online at www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan.

Youth Services Programming During a Time of Crisis, is a printable toolkit designed to help public libraries in times of crisis plan programming that creates a sense of normalcy for youth and teens in times of disaster or upheaval. This toolkit is the Capstone Project designed and written by Jamie Gilmore, Grace Morris, Erica Trotter, and Alexandria Wardrip through the University of Washington's Information School. It was also featured (8/30/17) in The Conversation's article, "Public Libraries can (literally) Serve as a Shelter from the Storm," by Grace Morris.

Cathy Lancaster

Youth Services Coordinator

Library of Michigan
702 W. Kalamazoo St.
Lansing, MI 48915

LancasterC5@michigan.gov | 517-335-8129 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan