Format: Webinar, original date March 5, 2020
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Every day, public libraries open their doors to people facing ongoing life challenges, such as poverty, mental health symptoms, substance abuse, or domestic violence. The library may be the only protective place they can turn to, the only place that can counter the debilitating negative factors that govern their lives. Join this webinar to explore the ways the library functions as a "protective factor" and to understand how the library, staff, and patrons exist within a community-wide context of safety. With consideration for how poverty, race, or other often stigmatized challenges impact the patron experience, learn practical and applicable ways to assess your library’s relationship with patrons, local law enforcement, social workers, and other organizations. Hear how the Sacramento Public Library learned through crisis to address staff and community trauma and to build resilience through more compassionate and inclusive policies and practices.
Presented by: Eric Lashley, Patrick Lloyd and Rivkah Sass
