Episode 12: Dr. Caroline N. Sharkey, LICSW

Trauma-informed approaches in public libraries

Dr. Caroline Sharkey shares her expertise on helping to implement trauma-informed approaches in public libraries alongside social work students from the University of Georgia. As a social worker, clinical supervisor, and trauma-informed trainer, Dr. Sharkey speaks to the centrality of social inclusion, how social workers can amplify the expertise and empathy that libraries already exhibit, and what trauma-informed approaches look like in public libraries.

Topics

• ​​0:00 Intro

• 1:19 Caroline’s path to library social work

• 8:05 What social work in libraries looks like

  • Advocacy

  • Overlap of values and ethics

  • Amplifying the existing work of libraries

• 13:44 Trauma-informed approaches (TIA) in libraries

• 18:54 Trauma Informed Library Transformation (TILT) pilot

  • 27:23 Influenced decision of library to hire a social worker

• 28:43 Trainings, integrating knowledge building, and outlets to process

• 32:13 Strengths-perspective / asset building of libraries

• 33:10 Preparing to respond to trauma & overwhelm

• 37:13 Centrality of social inclusion

• 40:46 Where are we with TIA and public libraries?

• 51:47 Caroline’s website: https://www.carolinesharkeylcsw.com/

• 53:06 Home renovations, gardening, and bears - oh my!

Links

• Athens-Clarke County Library. (2020, March 3). A Trauma-Informed Approach to Public Library Social Service. Youtube [5:15 video].

• Athens Regional County Library System: Social Worker Services

• Caroline’s research on the TILT program:

  • Sharkey, C. N., Elkins, J., & Johnson, Z. (2021). Creating trauma-informed library spaces: Lessons learned from a pilot program. Journal of Social Work Education, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2021.1978913

• National Association of Social Workers. (2022). National Association of Social Workers (NASW). https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

• Public Library Association Social Work Task Force. (2019). Overview of trauma informed care. Public Libraries. http://www.ala.org/pla/sites/ala.org.pla/files/content/tools/Public-Library-Social-Work_Overview-of-Trauma-Informed-Care_FINAL.pdf

• The “four Rs” or assumptions (realize, recognize, respond, resist re-traumatization) of a trauma-informed approach can be found here:

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/samhsas-concept-trauma-and-guidance-trauma-informed-approach/sma14-4884

• Tara Brach’s definition of trauma

• The Public Library Association Social Worker Task Force. (2022). A trauma-informed framework for supporting patrons: The PLA workbook of best practices. Public Library Association.

• Trauma-Informed Library Transformation: The Next Step in Library Social Work. (2019, February 9). Socialworker.com. https://www.socialworker.com/api/content/eb3f3ee0-2a5a-11e9-af13-120e7ad5cf50/

• Wahler, E. A. (2023). Trauma-Informed Librarianship: Guidance for Libraries with and Without Social Workers. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2023.2255942

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