Developing your crisis communication plan

A crisis communication plan helps you prepare for how your library will respond when disaster strikes. Its main goal is to prevent missteps that could have lasting effects on your library’s reputation.

In any crisis, timely communication with stakeholders, the public, and the media is essential to reduce misinformation and maintain your organization’s credibility.

While you can’t predict every detail of a crisis, having a general, pre-written plan gives you a valuable head start. It doesn’t need to be long—you can fill in the specifics as the situation unfolds. The key is to avoid hesitation when clear, confident communication is most needed.