Skip to content

Green icon of a gauge Assessing your library’s crisis potential

Crises in academic libraries can range from minor service interruptions to institution-threatening events. While each crisis is shaped by your library’s context—size, structure, budget, and institutional environment—key crisis preparedness principles remain consistent: know your risks and plan ahead.

Start by identifying the scenarios most likely to impact your library. Not all crises can be predicted, but a thoughtful vulnerability assessment helps prioritize planning efforts.

Examples of common crisis scenarios

Strategic or institutional tensions

  • Loss of library space to non-library functions

  • Being tasked with new services without added resources

  • Budget reductions alongside rising costs

  • Decreased student use or perception of the library

  • Loss of staff positions or unfilled retirements

  • Lack of voice in academic planning or curricular change

  • Scaling back services, leading to community frustration

Major or sudden crises

  • Public health emergencies (e.g., illness outbreak)

  • Campus violence or threat incidents

  • Natural disasters (floods, storms, earthquakes)

  • Facility failure (fire, burst pipes, HVAC collapse)

Emerging or “smoldering” crises

  • Proposed book bans or content challenges

  • Major budget cuts over time

  • Tension with campus leadership

  • Online harassment or misinformation about the library

  • Actions of a disgruntled or underperforming employee

Minor yet disruptive events

  • Power or internet outages

  • Vandalism or theft

  • Unexpected service closures or trimmed hours

Assess and plan ahead

Hold annual planning discussions with your team to ask:

  • What are the most likely crisis scenarios for our library?

  • What early warning signs should we watch for?

  • Who would be affected?

  • Do we have clear protocols and trained staff to respond?

  • What past library or campus incidents can we learn from?

Learn from peer libraries

Learn from Peer Libraries

Build your situational awareness by following developments at peer institutions:

  • What issues are trending in the profession or in higher ed news?

  • How are other libraries responding?

  • How effective and timely was their communication?

  • What did their leaders say—and how did they say it?

  • What feedback did they get from students, faculty, and the public?

 

Conduct an annual "vulnerability checkup"

Use it to guide your crisis communication plan and refresh your response strategies based on real-world events and your institution’s current landscape.

Use this template to conduct a vulnerability checkup