Trauma and Libraries

Libraries and higher education in general, while essential for academic and personal growth, can also be sources of trauma for students. Within the academic realm, rigorous expectations, high-stakes assessments, and competitive environments can create immense pressure and stress, leading to feelings of inadequacy and failure. Moreover, marginalized students encounter systemic barriers, discrimination, and microaggressions, further exacerbating their sense of exclusion and alienation. Libraries, often perceived as havens of knowledge and resources, can inadvertently contribute to this trauma through inaccessible spaces, lack of diverse representation in collections, and interactions with staff that may not be culturally sensitive or affirming. Consequently, students may experience heightened anxiety, imposter syndrome, and a diminished sense of belonging (just to name a few) within both educational institutions and library settings. Recognizing and addressing these challenges is imperative for creating inclusive and supportive environments that foster student success and well-being.

A trauma-informed approach acknowledges that students’ behaviors are influenced by their life experiences. Additionally, a trauma-informed approach:

• Recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and identifies potential paths toward recovery
• Identifies the signs and symptoms of trauma in individuals
• Integrates knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices
• Strives to actively prevent re-traumatization and secondary trauma

The four R’s of trauma informed practices

Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.

“A program, organization, or system that is trauma-informed realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist re-traumatization.”^[1]

The four “R’s” represent key assumptions in a trauma-informed approach. Everyone within the organization or system is expected to possess a fundamental understanding of trauma and its wide-ranging effects on individuals, families, groups, and communities. This comprehension extends to recognizing how coping strategies developed to endure past adversity can manifest in current behaviors, whether exhibited by patrons, staff members, or those indirectly affected by trauma.^[2] There is also a recognition that trauma significantly influences mental and substance use disorders, necessitating systematic consideration in prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts across various sectors, including behavioral health, child welfare, and criminal justice. The organization or system must also be equipped to identify signs of trauma, tailoring screening and assessment methods to specific demographics and settings, while prioritizing workforce development and supportive supervision practices.^[3] Finally, the program, organization, or system responds proactively by integrating trauma-informed principles into all aspects of operation. This entails a cultural shift facilitated by staff training, leadership commitment, and evidence-based trauma practices, fostering environments that promote resilience, recovery, and healing. This also means that efforts are made to prevent re-traumatization of clients and staff by creating physically and psychologically safe environments and avoiding practices that may inadvertently trigger painful memories or interfere with healing and recovery processes.^[4]

In other words, in order to be trauma- informed, you must assume that your patrons have experienced trauma, and to operate as a trauma-informed library, these fundamental assumptions need to resonate throughout every aspect of the library.^[5] The initial requirement for adopting a trauma-informed approach is for staff to possess a fundamental understanding of trauma and its detrimental impact on individuals and communities.^[6] This aligns with the second assumption (recognizing the sings of trauma), which entails interpreting people’s behaviors within the context of their experiences— realizing that our behaviors and reactions stem from what we have experienced and how we learned to cope. Oftentimes, these skills are what allowed us to survive hardship.^[7]

The third assumption requires that the system, including staff and policies, responds in a manner that demonstrates an understanding of trauma.^[8] This involves staff being trained in trauma-informed practices and libraries providing physically, mentally, and emotionally safe spaces for individuals, accommodating both quiet and lively areas, among other considerations. The final assumption is that practices are put into place that proactively resist re- traumatization, meaning that practices, policies, and rules are put into place so that they do not interfere with a person’s or community’s healing or recovery. This extends beyond mere response adequacy, encompassing proactive consideration of how these spaces may potentially traumatize individuals, prompting proactive planning.^[9] Libraries have a significant opportunity to foster safe and supportive environments by incorporating trauma-aware assumptions into their daily practices.

The four R’s represent an integrated process aimed at fostering trauma-informed and resilient communities through four fundamental practices. This framework can be used by library staff to incorporate Trauma-Informed Practices in the library, facilitating both mindset and behavioral changes. Here are some simple ways you can adopt an approach that prioritizes compassion, healing, and collaboration amongst students:

1. 1. Realize the widespread impact of trauma
      1. Have a basic understanding of trauma, what can cause trauma, and how it impacts people’s behaviors
      2. Acknowledge trauma and know it role in people’s lives
      3. Check in regularly; ask questions
   2. Recognize how it is impacting the patron:
      1. Identify triggers
      2. Empower patrons to use their learning brain
      3. Facilitate effective responses, healing
   3. Respond in a way that allows students to feel heard:
      1. Help patrons feel seen and heard; ask “What has worked for you in the past?”
      2. Provide digestible information
      3. Open up opportunities for student choice, expression, and therapeutic services
   4. Resist Re- traumatization:
      1. Recognize pain points and work on developing empathy
      2. Ask students what will support their healing and research
      3. Listen to them to cultivate a trauma- informed learning- environment

The journey toward trauma-informed librarianship is marked by a commitment to understanding, recognition, responsiveness, and resistance—embodied by the four “R’s.” By embracing these fundamental assumptions, libraries can transform into havens of compassion, healing, and empowerment for individuals impacted by trauma. It begins with a foundational understanding of trauma’s pervasive effects and extends to the recognition of trauma’s signs in patrons’ behaviors. Librarians must respond proactively, integrating trauma-informed principles into all facets of library operations and creating environments that prioritize safety, dignity, and respect. Libraries must also actively resist re-traumatization, ensuring that policies, practices, and spaces support rather than hinder patrons’ healing and recovery journeys. Through these concerted efforts, libraries can play a pivotal role in fostering resilience, promoting healing, and building more inclusive and supportive communities for all.

Examining Our Library’s Services and Operational Practices

Reflecting on your organization’s culture is crucial when implementing a trauma-informed approach in libraries because culture shapes every aspect of how the library operates and interacts with patrons. The organizational culture sets the tone for how staff members understand and respond to trauma, influencing their attitudes, behaviors, and decision-making processes. By examining the prevailing culture, libraries can identify strengths and areas for improvement in fostering a trauma-informed environment. This process allows libraries to address systemic barriers, biases, and power dynamics that may hinder the provision of equitable and supportive services to individuals affected by trauma. Understanding the organizational culture helps libraries recognize existing resources, leverage support from leadership, and build collective commitment among staff members to prioritize trauma-informed practices. Ultimately, reflecting on the organization’s culture provides a foundation for aligning values, policies, and practices with the principles of trauma-informed care, leading to more inclusive, responsive, and empowering library services for all patrons.^[10]

To effectively implement trauma-informed practices within our library, we must take a comprehensive approach that evaluates various aspects of our services and operations. This includes assessing staff training and development, fostering community engagement and partnerships, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity, implementing evaluation and continuous improvement processes, promoting cultural competence and sensitivity, providing leadership and organizational support, and facilitating community education and awareness initiatives. By reflecting on what our library offers and how we operate, we can identify areas for enhancement and alignment with trauma-informed principles, ultimately better serving our patrons and community.

1. Staff Training and Development: Libraries can offer comprehensive training programs to equip staff with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to implement trauma-informed practices effectively. Training sessions can cover topics such as understanding trauma and its impact, recognizing signs of distress, practicing empathetic communication, de-escalation techniques, and self-care strategies for staff members. Ongoing professional development opportunities, including workshops, seminars, and peer learning sessions, can further enhance staff competency and confidence in providing trauma-informed services.
2. Community Engagement and Partnerships: Building strong partnerships with community organizations, mental health professionals, and social service agencies can expand the library’s capacity to support patrons affected by trauma. Collaborative initiatives may include hosting support groups, offering referrals to counseling services, organizing mental health awareness events, and co-designing programs tailored to the needs of specific demographic groups. By working collaboratively with stakeholders, libraries can leverage existing resources and expertise to address trauma-related challenges more effectively.
3. Accessibility and Inclusivity: Libraries should prioritize accessibility and inclusivity in their physical spaces, services, and programming to ensure that all patrons, including those impacted by trauma, feel welcome and supported. This may involve conducting accessibility assessments, implementing universal design principles, providing assistive technologies, offering sensory-friendly spaces and programs, and accommodating diverse communication needs. By removing barriers to access and participation, libraries can create environments that foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for all patrons.
4. Evaluation and Continuous Improvement: Regular evaluation and feedback mechanisms are essential for assessing the effectiveness of trauma-informed initiatives and identifying areas for improvement. Libraries can gather feedback from patrons through surveys, focus groups, and suggestion boxes, as well as solicit input from staff members and community partners. Data collected through evaluation efforts can inform decision-making processes, guide resource allocation, and drive continuous improvement efforts aimed at enhancing the library’s trauma-informed practices over time.
5. Cultural Humility: Recognizing and honoring the cultural diversity of library patrons is essential for providing trauma-informed services that are respectful, responsive, and inclusive. Libraries should prioritize cultural competence training for staff members, promote diverse perspectives in programming and collections, and engage with community leaders and cultural organizations to better understand the needs and preferences of diverse populations. By embracing cultural humility and sensitivity, libraries can create safer and more welcoming spaces for individuals from all backgrounds to access information, resources, and support.
6. Leadership and Organizational Support: Strong leadership commitment and organizational support are critical for fostering a culture of trauma-informed care within the library. Library leaders should articulate a clear vision for trauma-informed practice, provide resources and infrastructure to support implementation efforts, and prioritize staff well-being and professional development. By modeling trauma-informed values and behaviors, leaders can inspire staff members to embrace a culture of empathy, collaboration, and continuous learning in their interactions with patrons and colleagues alike.
7. Community Education and Awareness: Libraries can serve as valuable hubs for community education and awareness-raising around trauma, mental health, and well-being. Through targeted outreach efforts, educational workshops, and public awareness campaigns, libraries can help destigmatize conversations about trauma, reduce barriers to accessing mental health support, and empower individuals to seek help when needed. By providing accurate information, resources, and referrals, libraries can play a vital role in promoting mental health literacy and resilience within their communities.

By expanding on these points and incorporating them into their strategic planning and daily operations, libraries can strengthen their capacity to implement trauma-informed approaches effectively, thereby enhancing the well-being and resilience of their patrons and communities.

Principles of trauma- informed organization^[11]

Text from Trauma Informed Behaviour Support: A Practical Guide to Developing Resilient Learners

Trauma- informed organizations are characterized by seven dominant principles of practice that include:

• Culture of nonviolence: helping build safety skills and a commitment to higher goals.
• Culture of emotional intelligence: helping to teach emotion management skills to both staff and students.
• Culture of inquiry and social learning: helping to build cognitive skills.
• Culture of shared governance: helping to create civic skills of self-discipline and administration of healthy authority.
• Culture of open communication: helping to overcome barriers to healthy communication, reduce acting out, enhance self-protective and self-correcting skills, and teaching healthy boundaries.
• Culture of social responsibility: helping to rebuild social connection skills, establish healthy attachment relationships.
• Culture of growth and change: helping to restore hope, meaning, purpose and empower positive change.

SAMHSA’s Sample questions to consider when implementing a trauma- informed approach^[12]

Governance and Leadership

• How does agency leadership communicate its support and guidance for implementing a trauma-informed approach?
• How do the agency’s mission statement and/or written policies and procedures include a commitment to providing trauma-informed services and supports?
• How do leadership and governance structures demonstrate support for the voice and participation of people using their services who have trauma histories?

Policy

• How do the agency’s written policies and procedures include a focus on trauma and issues of safety and confidentiality?
• How do the agency’s written policies and procedures recognize the pervasiveness of trauma in the lives of people using services, and express a commitment to reducing re-traumatization and promoting well-being and recovery?
• How do the agency’s staffing policies demonstrate a commitment to staff training on providing services and supports that are culturally relevant and trauma-informed as part of staff orientation and in-service training?
• How do human resources policies attend to the impact of working with people who have experienced trauma?
• What policies and procedures are in place for including trauma survivors/people receiving services and peer supports in meaningful and significant roles in agency planning, governance, policy-making, services, and evaluation?

Physical Environment

• How does the physical environment promote a sense of safety, calming, and de-escalation for clients and staff?
• In what ways do staff members recognize and address aspects of the physical environment that may be re-traumatizing, and work with people on developing strategies to deal with this?
• How has the agency provided space that both staff and people receiving services can use to practice self-care?
• How has the agency developed mechanisms to address gender-related physical and emotional safety concerns (e.g., gender-specific spaces and activities)?

Engagement and Involvement

• How do people with lived experience have the opportunity to provide feedback to the organization on quality improvement processes for better engagement and services?
• How do staff members keep people fully informed of rules, procedures, activities, and schedules, while being mindful that people who are frightened or overwhelmed may have a difficulty processing information?
• How is transparency and trust among staff and clients promoted?
• What strategies are used to reduce the sense of power differentials among staff and clients?
• How do staff members help people to identify strategies that contribute to feeling comforted and empowered?

Cross Sector Collaboration

• Is there a system of communication in place with other partner agencies working with the individual receiving services for making trauma-informed decisions?
• Are collaborative partners trauma-informed?
• How does the organization identify community providers and referral agencies that have experience delivering evidence-based trauma services?
• What mechanisms are in place to promote cross-sector training on trauma and trauma informed approaches?

Screening, Assessment, Treatment Services

• Is an individual’s own definition of emotional safety included in treatment plans?
• Is timely trauma-informed screening and assessment available and accessible to individuals receiving services?
• Does the organization have the capacity to provide trauma-specific treatment or refer to appropriate trauma-specific services?
• How are peer supports integrated into the service delivery approach?
• How does the agency address gender-based needs in the context of trauma screening, assessment, and treatment? For instance, are gender-specific trauma services and supports available for both men and women?
• Do staff members talk with people about the range of trauma reactions and work to minimize feelings of fear or shame and to increase self-understanding?
• How are these trauma-specific practices incorporated into the organization’s ongoing operations?

Adapting SAMHSA’s questions to libraries

Library Governance and Leadership

• How does library leadership communicate its support and guidance for implementing a trauma-informed approach within library services?
• How does leadership within the library demonstrate support for trauma-informed practices and prioritize staff training and development in this area?
• How do the library’s mission statement and written policies and procedures reflect a commitment to providing trauma-informed services and supports?
• How do leadership and governance structures demonstrate support for the voice and participation of library users with trauma histories in decision-making processes?

Policy

• How do the library’s written policies and procedures address the four assumptions of trauma- informed practices?
• How do the library’s policies recognize the prevalence of trauma among patrons and express a commitment to reducing re-traumatization and promoting well-being?
• How does the library ensure staff are trained in culturally relevant and trauma-informed practices as part of orientation and ongoing training?
• How do human resources policies consider the impact of working with patrons who are in survival mode or displaying symptoms of trauma?
• What policies and procedures are in place to involve the community, especially historically marginalized voices, in significant roles in library planning, services, and evaluation?

Physical Environment

• How does the library’s physical environment promote safety, calmness, and de-escalation for both patrons and staff?
• In what ways do staff address elements of the physical environment that may be re-traumatizing and work with patrons to develop coping strategies?
• How has the library provided spaces for both staff and patrons to practice self-care?
• How has the library addressed gender-related safety concerns, such as providing gender-specific spaces and activities?

Engagement and Involvement

• Are there mechanisms in place for soliciting feedback from patrons regarding their experiences with library services and their perceptions of the library’s trauma-informed approach?
• How do we evaluate the effectiveness of our trauma-informed practices and identify areas for improvement in our interactions with patrons?
• How do library users with lived experience have the opportunity to provide feedback on library services and engagement processes?
• How do staff ensure that patrons, especially those who may be frightened or overwhelmed, understand rules, procedures, and activities?
• How does the library promote transparency and trust among staff and patrons?
• What strategies are employed to minimize power differentials between staff and patrons?
• How do staff empower patrons and help them identify strategies for feeling comforted and empowered?
• What educational resources and programs are available to raise awareness about trauma and mental health issues among library staff and patrons?

Cross Sector Collaboration

• Does the library collaborate with departments on campus that can help students, like disability student services and counseling services? If not, how could the library build those partnerships?
• How do we engage with community organizations and mental health professionals to expand our capacity to support patrons affected by trauma?
• Is there effective communication with partner agencies for making trauma-informed decisions regarding library services?
• Are collaborative partners knowledgeable about trauma and trauma-informed approaches?
• What mechanisms are in place to facilitate cross-sector training on trauma and trauma-informed approaches?

Library Services

As libraries do not provide Screening, Assessment, or Treatment Services, let’s shift the focus of this section to highlight the services available to patrons and how we incorporate a trauma-informed approach into our library’s offerings.

• How do we ensure that our library’s services prioritize safety, trustworthiness, and empowerment for all patrons, including those affected by trauma?
• In what ways are library staff trained to recognize signs of distress and respond sensitively to individuals who may have experienced traumatic events?
• How do we promote inclusivity and accessibility in our services to accommodate diverse needs?
• Are library staff trained to be aware of university and community professional services, including counseling, support groups, and disability services?
• Is emotional safety defined by the individual included in library service plans?
• How are trauma-informed practices incorporated into the library’s ongoing operations?
• Do staff discuss trauma reactions among themselves to build a peer support network at the library, enhancing awareness of trauma behaviors and equipping staff with strategies to assist patrons in managing distress?
• What steps have been taken to ensure that library staff are culturally competent and sensitive to the diverse experiences and needs of our patrons?

Conclusion

The six principles of trauma-informed care were originally crafted for social workers and health professionals, tailored to their specific contexts and responsibilities. However, their principles can still serve as a foundational framework for trauma-informed practices in various settings, including libraries. Recognizing the unique role of librarianship and the diverse needs of library patrons, I have developed principles of trauma-informed librarianship. Drawing inspiration from trauma-informed pedagogy and critically evaluating the role of librarians, these principles aim to create supportive and empathetic library environments. They emphasize the importance of understanding trauma’s impact on individuals’ behaviors and interactions with library services, fostering a culture of safety, empowerment, and inclusivity within library spaces. Through these adapted principles, librarians can effectively respond to the needs of trauma-affected individuals and contribute to building resilient and supportive communities.