Florida State University

Florida State University will partner with the State Library of Florida, the Panhandle Library Area Network (PLAN), Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, Public Library Association, emergency management officers, and national disaster experts to explore existing library disaster preparedness, response, and recovery and Continuity of Operations plans and distill evidence-based processes, recommendations, and models for small and rural public libraries throughout Florida and the nation. The main goal is to develop community-centered, multi-disciplinary, smart, and connected disaster models informed by librarians and geographic information system analyses to strengthen small and rural libraries' capacity to prepare library personnel to meet local needs and safeguard library resources. The research grant will build off of IMLS-funded research from the University of Texas and increase the capacity of libraries nationwide to support communities dealing with natural disasters, COVID-19 or other widespread health issues, and other types of community emergencies. Amendment 2023: $146,813 in additional funds were awarded in 2023 to perform real-time research on how disaster planning compared to actual community needs and library responses following Hurricane Ian in Southwest Florida.