Crises, especially those which are constructed to tell a narrative, are used to garner attention: as media has proven time and time again, urgent crises will draw readers, listeners, and viewers, as they hang on the edge of their seats, waiting to see if they have actually been invaded by an extraterrestrial (War of the Worlds broadcast, anyone?). This is an especially powerful tool when there are multiple crises, such as the "Once glorious kingdom under threat" narrative combined with a real, tangible, and physical crisis, such as global pandemic. By compounding these crises, leaders can solidify power in an urgent fashion.

These struggles can be further exacerbated in communities where library staff may already be rising beyond their anticipated call of service to help fight the opioid epidemic, whether by training to administer life-saving overdose medication or providing special services that mitigate the displacements that occur in lives punctuated by addiction. There is a physical and emotional toll many library employees suffer when they do dual duty serving as de facto social workers, tasked with helping patrons access information about food stamps, welfare, housing assistance, and other critically needed support.


However, as we will reiterate throughout this multimedia experience: refuse constructed crises.







While we discuss crises and academic libraries in more detail in our companion piece, readers looking to learn more about the power of constructed crises are invited to consult Bert Spector's book.