TRUST AND TER

TRUST AND TER

New Demands for Crisis Inf

New Demands for Crisis Inf

Dissemination and Manag

Dissemination and Manag

Joan R. Challinor, 

Joan R. Challinor, 

Vice Chairperso

Vice Chairperso

U.S. National Commiss

U.S. National Commiss

Libraries and Information 

Libraries and Information 
TRUST

TE

New Demands for New Demands forCrisis Information Crisis Information Dissemination and Managem

Dissemination and Managem
U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information 

U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information 

A Proposal to Expan

A Proposal to Expan

the Role of U.S. Librar

the Role of U.S. Librar

in Crisis Information in Crisis Information 

Dissemination and Manag

Dissemination and Manag
people must have inform

have inform

In a crisis, In a crisis,
In a crisis, In a crisis,

lack of information ca

lack of information ca

dangerous and terrif

dangerous and terrif
3⁄4 News analyses from varying News analyses from varying 

perspectives with different perspectives with different conclusions. conclusions.

Crises create information ov

Crises create information ov

3⁄4 Misinformation, Misinformation, 

whether accidental or whether accidental or deliberate. deliberate.

3⁄4 Gossip. Gossip.
Crisis information must Crisis information must

...

3⁄4 Come from Come from trusted trusted and reli

reli

sources. sources.

3⁄4 Be usefully organized usefully organized and 

independently verified independently verified.
3⁄4 Communicate a Communicate a sense of or

sense of or

control control and continuity continuity.

Crisis information must Crisis information must...
3⁄4 Be available Be available where and wh

people need it , both people need it , both durin

after the crisis. the crisis.

Crisis information must Crisis information must...
3⁄4 Have global reach and reach and loca

3⁄4 Serve people who have Serve people who have diff

dif

ethnic backgrounds ethnic backgrounds and sp

and sp

different languages different languages.

Crisis information must Crisis information must...
3⁄4 Be given Be given context context.

3⁄4 Be distributed in distributed in 

multiple formats multiple formats: 

in person, broadcast in person, broadcast media, Internet, print. media, Internet, print.

Crisis information must Crisis information must...
Libraries respond to crises 

Libraries respond to crises 

3⁄4 Providing a familiar, neutral Providing a familiar, neutral 

place where people could c

where people could c

together to learn and talk ab

together to learn and talk ab

had happened. had happened.
Public Libraries...

3⁄4 Meet all of these requirem

of these requirem

3⁄4 Are known as Are known as trusted trusted and 

places to find information

places to find information
Public Libraries...

3⁄4 Have global reach and reach and loca
3⁄4 Government agencies must Government agencies must 

distribute distribute essential, up essential, up-to-d

information information to public librari

to public librari

3⁄4 Funding Funding from emergency so

from emergency so

must be allocated for librari

must be allocated for librari

remain open for remain open for extended h

extended h

during crises during crises—even 24 hour

even 24 hour

7-days a week, when necess

days a week, when necess

What is needed: What is needed:
What is needed: What is needed:

3⁄4 Disaster preparedness Disaster preparedness plann

plan

include libraries. include libraries.

3⁄4 A nationwide A nationwide phone number phone numbe

be created for crisis informa

be created for crisis informa

comparable to the comparable to the 

“911

” pho

number for emergency respo

number for emergency respo
What is needed: What is needed:

3⁄4 Print and broadcast media s

Print and broadcast media s

produce and run produce and run public serv

public serv

announcements announcements that direct 

that direct 

libraries for crisis informatio

libraries for crisis informatio

that publicize the nationwid

that publicize the nationwid

number, when one is establ

number, when one is establ

U.S. National Commission Libraries and Information Telephone: 202-606-9200; Fax: 202-60E-Mail: info@nclis.gov; Website: www1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 820Washington, DC 20005-3552

Presented at the 68 Presented at the 68th IFLA General Conf

IFLA General Conf

Glasgow, Scotland, August 19, 200

Glasgow, Scotland, August 19, 200