Trauma-Informed Care In Libraries Topic Of ETSU 'Women On Wednesdays' Talk

From East Tennessee State University:

January 26, 2021

Where are gaps of trauma-informed care (TIC) in libraries, and how can those gaps be closed to create a safe and nurturing space for all who patronize them?

Rebecca Tolley, professor and interim director of Research and Instructional Services with ETSU's Sherrod Library, is the author of "A Trauma-Informed Approach to Libraries."

Rebecca Tolley from the Charles C. Sherrod Library at East Tennessee State University will explore this topic in “How Libraries Should Adopt Trauma-Informed Principles” in a free public talk on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at noon via Zoom (https://etsu.zoom.us/j/94781719253). Her talk is part of the “Women on Wednesdays” series sponsored by ETSU’s Women’s Studies Program.

TIC is a framework that helps people recognize the widespread prevalence of trauma and integrate knowledge of its effects into policies and practices.

While libraries have a reputation for being places of sanctuary, the framework of TIC is not always evident in these environments, according to Tolley, whose book, “A Trauma-Informed Approach to Libraries,” was published by the American Library Association in 2020.

In her talk, Tolley will discuss the core concepts of TIC and illustrate the gaps of philosophy and service that are commonly experienced in libraries. She will set the foundation for why trauma-informed practices should be applied to libraries and provide suggestions of how to apply concrete TIC steps to construct an inclusive space for all.

Tolley is a professor and interim director of Research and Instructional Services at the Sherrod Library. In this role, she facilitates student, staff and faculty success in research, instruction and scholarship. As research consulting coordinator and marketing and communications librarian, she collaborates with university departments and helps establish the library’s brand across campus and the local region.

The “Women on Wednesdays” series is designed to raise awareness about the research, scholarship and community engagement conducted by women at ETSU; to provide a venue where women on campus and in the community can discuss and support each other’s work; and to give students an opportunity to meet faculty who could become mentors for their studies.

For more information, contact Dr. Phyllis Thompson, ETSU director of Women’s Studies, at 423-439-4125.

This press release was produced by East Tennessee State University. The views expressed are the author's own.