Professional Development Center

Dealing with Tragedy and Terror

This guide supports Areas 2, 5 and 6 of Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth.

Please check back regularly for new information.

Donate or Volunteer

The Geaux Library Project After volunteering at the Lamar-Dixon shelter in Gonzales, LA, a group of grad students decided to put their skills to better use by coordinating an effort to bring computers staffed by librarians and other trained volunteers to shelters in need across the region. Check to see how you can help.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American Red Cross and other government and private agencies are scrambling to respond to the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast. Click here for a partial list of groups and their phone numbers.

Online Resources

The Librarians' Index to the Internet has many links to information including War and Peace Resources on Iraq, September 11th and Beyond, and Disaster Relief.

Libraries and Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Assistane Links

Links to General Resources are available from Libarians' Index to the Internet.

Selected Print Resources: Articles

Richards, Sarah. "Everything is changing." Seventeen 60, no. 12 (Dec 2001): p. 166-173.
The many events that occurred after the September 11 terrorist attacks are discussed. Several young people also discuss what they think about terror.

Fournier, Michael; Kouri, Clarissa, Steele, Jamie Briana; Nickels, Jessica; Et al. “Talking about war.” Teen People 6, no. 4 (May 2003): p. 124-125.
Several teenagers share their opinion on certain issues about the war against Iraq. Issues raised include drafting, faith in the president, and protests.

Bibliographies

YALSA has developed a list of recommended reading for teens in light of Hurricane Katrina.

War: Conflict and Consequences is a list of the best and most popular fiction and nonfiction for teens on war, from a variety of perspectives, compiled by YALSA’s Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Committee.

Books on Terrorism for Teens, compiled by staff of the American Library Association's Booklist, presents fiction and nonfiction books on terrorism for readers 12 and older.

Encounters with Terrorism: Readings for Young Adults This Highland Park (IL) Public Library bibliography contains suggested reading for young adults grades 6 and older concerning aspects of terrorism, violence, and cultural perspectives.

Caywood, Carolyn. "Siege Mentality." School Library Journal, Feb98, Vol. 44 Issue 2, p51.
Suggests several books that can help teenagers imagine the stress of survival under the extreme conditions of war.

Cockett, Lynn;Jones, Patrick. “Real terror: Violence in YA fiction and nonfiction.” Booklist 92, no. 6 (Nov 15, 1995): p. 546.
A list of young adult fiction and nonfiction titles that seek to explain teen violence and provide information to empower teens to take steps toward preventing violence in their lives, their schools and their communities is presented.

Helping Teens Cope

Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters was developed by the National Institute of Mental Health to tell concerned adults what is known about the impact of violence and disasters on children and adolescents and to suggest steps the adults can take to minimize the long-term emotional harm to youths.

Coping With Disaster: Tips for Young Adults, from the National Mental Health Association, directly addresses young adults, encouraging them to take positive steps to understand and deal with their feelings.

Coping in Unsettling Times is provided by the National Association of School Psychologists. It contains tip sheets for students, teachers, and caregivers on coping with war, disaster, and terrorism. Particularly noteworthy are handouts for students and parents, translated into several languages by the Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools.

Additional Resources for Helping Teens and Children Cope with Disaster.