Dr. Sharon Strover (UT Austin, TIPI) presented on her IMLS Libraries and Disasters research alongside her colleagues Dr. Marcia Mardis (FSU) and Dr. Faye Jones (FSU) on January 26th at 9AM as the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia.

Co-Constructing Disaster Response: Researchers and Practitioners Collaborating for Resilience in Small and Rural Libraries

Marcia Mardis – Associate Professor, College of Communication & Information at Florida State University

Sharon Strover – Professor, University of Texas at Austin

Faye Jones – Professor, Florida State University

Researchers from Florida and Texas will report their experiences co-constructing narratives of disaster planning, response, and recovery in the wake of the last 5 years’ regional hurricanes. This session, rich in verbatim data, photos, and other documentation, will detail the process that researchers used to engage as partners in understanding disaster experiences and critically evaluating public librarians’ roles in community resiliency. The session will also include opportunities for audience members to share their own experiences through storytelling and discussion.

To view the presentation, click here. The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Founded on October 6, 1876 during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the mission of ALA is “to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”