Trauma-Informed Librarianship: Building a Resource Guide for Librarians

Vivian Bynoe, Head of Information Studies Department at Georgia Southern Libraries and Kay Coates, Information Studies Librarian at Georgia Southern Libraries were awarded the Carnegie Whitney Grant in 2023 to develop an online resource guide to educate librarians on how to assist their patrons utilizing a trauma-informed approach. Originating in the medical and social services fields, there are many approaches to trauma-informed care. The guide will help librarians better assist their patrons utilizing a trauma-informed approach based on The Centers for Disease Control’s 6 guiding principles of: (1) Safety (2) Trustworthiness & Transparency (3) Peer Support (4) Collaboration (5) Empowerment Voice & Choice and (6) Cultural, Historical, & Gender Issues (CDC, 2022). Intended to mitigate re-traumatization, this project is important because while people may experience individual trauma at different times in their lives, they also experience collective trauma. This presentation will provide participants with background information about trauma-informed care and how it applies in a library setting. The presenters will discuss how trauma impacts patrons, and why it is necessary to use a trauma-informed approach in our work and provide a preview of the resource guide along with resources participants can take back to use in their respective libraries.