Florida Public Libraries

Florida public libraries have provided a range of useful hurricane and disaster preparation and response services and activities, but there has been no systematic effort to identify the activities, best practices, guidelines and services provided or to better organize, coordinate, and assist all Florida public libraries to provide these hurricane/disaster planning and response services.

This project will reduce the state’s overall risk by raising the readiness level of all the state’s public libraries to meet the challenges posed by these catastrophes. The project will:

• Identify and then organize relevant public library hurricane related information resources, services, roles, and best practices;
• Identify, aggregate, assess, and organize successful individual Florida public library best practices related to hurricane preparedness and response;
• Develop model plans, standards, guidelines and recommendations – which will be made available via print and through an interactive website;
• Offer strategies to assist state and regional public library and government officials with disaster coordination and organization responsibilities; and
• Disseminate to Florida’s public libraries, agencies, and other organizations, via print and project website, resources, services, experiences, best practices, plans and guidelines to coordinate Florida’s public library managers and government partners to better prepare for and respond to hurricanes.

McClure stated that ”this grant offers a great opportunity for public libraries to better demonstrate the range of services and responses they can provide during such disasters.”