the Commission website: 

Additional information is available from 

Science. 

Commission on Libraries and Information 

management, contact the U.S. National 

in crisis information dissemination and 

initiative to expand the role of U.S. libraries 

For more information on the Commission’s 

www.nclis.gov/info/trust/trust.html. 

 

NCLIS 

Washington, DC 20005-3552 

1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 820 

 

 Libraries and Information Science 

U.S. National Commission on 

 

 A Proposal to E

Role of U.S. L

Crisis Infor

Dissemination and 

 NCL

U.S. National Co

Libraries and Infor

TRUS

New Demands for New Demands for Crisis Information Crisis Information Dissemination and M

Dissemination and M
IN A CRISIS, PEOPLE MUST HAVE 

INFORMATION Whether related to a terrorist event or a natural disaster, during and following a crisis people must have access to 

information. 

In such times, a lack of information can be both dangerous and terrifying. At the same time, information overload and misinformation, whether accidental or deliberate, can become "weapons of mass disruption.” Crisis information is critical both at the time of crisis and in the hours, days and weeks that follow. The information must be available when and where it is needed, both during and after the immediate crisis. Some information needs to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Crisis information must: • come from authoritative sources; • be usefully organized and independently verified; • come from around the word in real time, yet be available in 

local communities; 

• be sensitive to cultural concerns and available in peoples' 

own language; 

• communicate a sense of order, control and continuity; • foster understanding, a sense of community and hope; • be given in context and distributed in multiple formats. 

In light of recent events, the United States must mobilize a comprehensive system for more effective crisis information dissemination and management. 1 

The National Commission on Librarie(NCLIS) is a permanent, independengovernment, established in 1970 with 91-345. The Commission is charged w• advising the President and the Co

of policy; 

• conducting studies, surveys, and a

informational needs of the nation; 

• appraising the adequacies and de

information resources and service

• developing overall plans for meet

informational needs. 

The Commission also advises Federaand other public and private organizinformation sciences, including consuinternational agreements and implempromotes research and developmenand improve the nation's library and as essential links in the national and Commissioners and staff at the time 

Martha B. Gould

Joan R. Challinor, Ph.D

Rebecca T. Bingham 

Jack E. Hightower 

James H. Billington, Ph.D

Robert Martin, P

Institute of Museum an

Robert S. Willard, E

Judith C. Russell, D

July 20

U.S. National Commission on Libr

1110 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 8

Telephone: 202-606-9200; Fax: 202

6 
Print and broadcast media 

must be required to produce and run public service announcements that direct people to libraries for crisis information. In the future, a nationwide phone number should be established for crisis information to relieve the burden on the “911” phone number. While we have a highly sophisticated system for emergency response, it is often overwhelmed with non-emergency calls. We need an expanded system for crisis information dissemination and management that specifically addresses the public need for information. 

It is clear that the United States needs more effective crisis information dissemination and management. It is also clear that we have a vital, comprehensive system of libraries in the United States that can meet the information needs of the public during, and after, an emergency or disaster. The National Commission on Libraries and Information 

Science will join with others in the government and the library community to make this happen. The Commission believes that the cooperative efforts of government agencies and libraries can make an enormous difference in the strength and competency of the United States, and indeed in all of us as individuals, to meet the challenges ahead. 

5 

A new national crisis information potentially cost billions of dollars But, it does not need to. A significbeen made. 

PUBLIC LIBRARIES RESOURCE IN TIMEThe Nation's more than 16,000 Puan extensive network of resources meet this need for crisis informatwe need only to leverage it, engaAfter September 11th, libraries in Virginia, and in Somerset County, heroic efforts to answer importanresponses occurred in many libraacting without coordination or direction, public libraries is already a tremeinformation dissemination and mtimes of crisis. We need to expanas an essential component of U.Sdissemination and management. 

Public libraries have all the contribute to effective crisidissemination and manage

The U.S. library system is a netwoand knowledgeable, skilled indivvirtually and physically. If phone freeze up, most people can still dlibrary where they can get essent

2 
Libraries and librarians can respond quickly and effectively 

by creating collections of resources and by building organized, accessible databases of information about the crisis and about relief efforts and agencies. Public libraries are trusted and reliable sources for information. They are familiar, neutral, physical places where people can come together to learn and to talk about what has happened. Public libraries know how to organize and verify information and have systems in place that keep large amounts of information easily and readily accessible. They provide Internet access and e-mail for those who need it. Libraries have incredibly valuable human resources in their skilled librarians. They know how to assist others to focus their questions, and they are familiar with proven ways to verify the accuracy and validity of the information that is found. Libraries are the acknowledged repository of information both present and past. They already have global reach and local presence. They are part of a vast system of libraries not only across the country but around the world. 

Public libraries provide both immediate and long-term access to information resources. They can make information available where and when people need it, both during and after crises. 

Public libraries are places where people can meet and come to recognize themselves as a community. They communicate a sense of order, of being in control, of normalcy. Public libraries have resources to help people deal with the aftermath of a crisis. Many psychologists believe the emotional toll of September 11th will last for months, if not years, as people cope with events that changed their worldview dramatically—and permanently. 

3 

Libraries are excellent at providininformation. They routinely proviformats: in person—from referencthrough video and audio recordincourse, in print. 

Public libraries serve people of dand who speak many different lanspontaneous conversations amontable to current event discussion libraries know how to facilitate anintellectual exploration to foster uPublic libraries foster hope. Librainformation but a sense of place athem to obtain knowledge of the insight into the future, libraries hethrough times of despair and terrINCLUDING PUBLIC CRISIS MANAGEMEMany people who need informatithe library, so those who have cridisseminate must include the lib

plans. Planning for emergency presecurity at all levels—federal, stapublic libraries immediately. 

Federal, State, and local governmsystems in place—and use them—to-date information to public librcooperation with the state librarie

channel the inflibraries and li

The libraries abe ready to dispeople when aFunding must state and local libraries can rehours during cr7-days a week, 

4