Developing your crisis communication plan

A crisis communication plan is a structured way to think about how to communicate when a disaster occurs. Its purpose is to help you avoid mistakes that can live on long after an emergency or crisis is over.

When a crisis occurs, communication to stakeholders, the public and to media outlets (if necessary) is imperative to reduce misinformation. Immediate and transparent communication also helps maintain credibility for your organization.

While it’s not possible to predict every detail that will occur in a crisis, having a pre-written, general plan gives you a head start at a time when hesitating to speak could be damaging to your library’s reputation. The plan does not have to be lengthy; you can start with a framework and flesh out the details as they become known.