JOHNSON CITY (Jan. 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 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.