A trauma-informed approach to library services

Though originating in the fields of health and social services, trauma-informed care is a framework that holds great promise for application to library work. Rebecca Tolley’s new book A Trauma-Informed Approach to Library Services, published by ALA Editions, puts these ideas into the library context. Empathetic service, positive patron encounters, and a more trusting workplace are only a few of the benefits that this approach offers.

ALA Publishing, July 21

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Web Behrens writes: “Libraries typically provide books—not publish them. But eight years ago, Ann Arbor (Mich.) District Library (AADL) had some voices it wanted the world to hear. And so emerged Fifth Avenue Press, AADL’s publishing imprint, in 2017. Focused on the authors, history, and culture of Michigan’s Washtenaw County, the imprint includes 60 titles spanning literary genres. They range from Light in a Cage (2017), a chronicle of local educator Judy Patterson Wenzel’s experiences teaching in a prison classroom, to Peri Peri Paprika (2024), a sci-fi novel written by Leanne Su, a University of Michigan doctoral student.”

American Libraries Trend, June
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Allison Frick and Sara DeSabato write: “It’s vital for young people to see themselves in books and collections. Some books give children language to express what is in their hearts. For those who may not have strong family support, a library can offer a safe, private place to access thoughtfully curated, age-congruent information. That’s why, as a school librarian and a teacher, we felt strongly about helping our school, Friends Select School in Philadelphia, create a Lower School Gender and Sexuality Education committee in 2017.”

American Libraries column, June
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Julia Smith writes: “In early May, bestselling author-illustrator Grace Lin published her first novel in nearly nine years. Throughout her more than 25-year career, Lin has garnered many accolades, including a 2010 Newbery Honor, a 2019 Caldecott Honor, and a 2022 Children’s Literature Legacy Award. In advance of her appearance at the upcoming American Library Association 2025 Annual Conference in Philadelphia, she talked with American Libraries about being inspired by myths, the insidiousness of book bans, and finding comfort in the library as a child.”

American Libraries Trend, June
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Serra Sowers writes: “Jen Miller, librarian at Northern Guilford Middle School in Greensboro, North Carolina, is turning the page on lost book fees thanks to donations from a community of book lovers. With the end of the school year just days away, it’s a race against time to get books back on the shelves and clear student debt. When her social media account went viral, she started the Book Return Game—using her platform to keep tally of overdue copies and mobilize followers to help her replace books that never came back. Since then, she’s surprised schools locally and across the country with books.”

WXII-TV (Winston-Salem, N.C.), May 31
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Felicity Dachel writes: “A Minnesota school district is doing away with a book ban, settling a lawsuit that argued the ban was unlawful. The suit was brought against St. Francis Area Schools by Education Minnesota on behalf of eight students, all of whom have parents working as teachers across St. Francis schools.” The settlement requires the district to replace a policy that required selections align with the now-defunct Moms For Library–affiliated website booklooks.org with one that guarantees the input of qualified media specialists and follows a 2024 Minnesota state law that prohibits libraries and schools from banning books.

KARE-TV (Minneapolis), June 10; Words and Money, June 11; The Minnesota Daily, June 23, 2024
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Elissa Malespina writes: “In our seven-part series, we’ve explored AI’s role in personalized learning, assessments, research, libraries, and ethical considerations. Now, we focus on how educators and librarians can navigate the evolving AI landscape and ensure responsible integration. Librarians are essential in the AI-driven knowledge ecosystem, ensuring that students and patrons navigate AI-generated information critically and ethically.”

The AI School Librarian, June 9
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Stephen Town writes: “Little research exists about how library leaders develop their ethical identity, how they manage their work to facilitate library excellence, and how they overcome the difficult and complex problems arising in the academic context. This study provides evidence and a unique perspective toward answering these questions, based on narratives from research library leaders demonstrating the deployment of a range of virtues to improve the character and performance of their libraries.”

portal: Libraries and the Academy, vol. 25 no. 3, July

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