Course Syllabus

LIS 598 Trauma-Informed Care and the Library Profession

•  Modules
•  Syllabus
•  Assignments

  Course Description

The purpose of this course is to learn about the nature of trauma in public libraries. Students will learn about the types and effects of trauma; the trauma-informed care approach for library services; how library staff experience and are affected by trauma in the workplace; and how trauma can be mitigated for patrons and staff through practices of resilience.

 Student Learning Outcomes

1. Analyze the characteristics and needs of individuals and groups in public libraries from a trauma-informed approach and use trauma-informed approach to meet the needs of people, staff and organizations, and communities that promote resilience.
2. Acquire, process, preserve, and provide access to information sources for diverse communities consistent with a trauma-informed approach.
3. Empower communities and organizations to engage successfully with information that support trauma resilience in digital, written, and oral forms.
4. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access for communities and for the information professionals who serve them in trauma-informed ways.
5. Value and incorporate global perspectives on effective information practices that are aligned with trauma-informed practices and supportive of cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being, including non-Western ways of knowing.  
6. Demonstrate critical thinking, vision, and innovation for understanding, researching, synthesizing, and solving ethical, technological, and other real-world problems that involve trauma in changing information landscapes. 
7. Communicate and instruct effectively in appropriate formats to a variety of audiences, in different settings and social contexts. 
8. Lead through engagement with and on behalf of information stakeholders regarding trauma and resiliency.
9. Design, evaluate, utilize, and share technologies both traditional and digital in support of trauma resiliency.

  Required Course Materials

There is no required text for this course.  Readings and recorded lecturers are on Module pages.

 Course Format/Structure

The course comprises a series of modules with articles, web resources, lectures, discussion boards, and assignments. All modules open on Tuesdays. 

 Student and Instructor Expectations

I expect you to do your best to:

• Keep up with weekly lectures, readings, assignments and discussion board postings.
• Actively engage in discussions and complete assignments.
• Suggest topics for discussion or readings that you think would be interesting to the class.
• Contact me with questions as soon as you have them! LIS 598 is intended as a useful and engaging learning experience.

You can expect me to:

• Respond to your questions promptly.
• Return graded assignments promptly (my goal is within one week of due date).
• Be available for individual or group conversations/interactions via chat/online/phone.

  Assignments

Find complete assignment details and due dates on the Assignments page.

  Grading

This course uses the iSchool Standard Grading Scheme, which converts percentage grades into 4.0 grades.

[Grading Policy here.]

Late Assignments

[Your policy on late assignments here.]

Make-up Work

[Your policy on make-up work here.]

  Resources

Student Resources
A number of challenges from a variety of directions can affect your ability to bring your optimal attention and energy to a course. Student Resources is a set of links to campus resources that UW makes available to students in trying to mitigate and cope with some of these challenges.

iSchool Technology Requirements
The iSchool has a set of technology requirements for both online and residential students. We highly recommend that students adhere to these standards which are updated annually. Students who do not meet these standards may experience technology problems throughout the course.

iSchool Learning Technologies Support Site
Knowledge base for Canvas, VoiceThread, Zoom, and other learning technologies tools.

UW Libraries
In this course you may be required to access a large number of databases through the Internet. Several of these databases are publicly available, but some are proprietary and access requires authentication through the UW Libraries. Information about logging in to use these databases is available on the Connecting to the Libraries page.

  Academic Conduct

Please review the iSchool Academic Policies which cover:

• Academic and Behavioral Misconduct
• Academic Integrity
• Copyright
• Privacy
• Concerns About a Course
• Evaluation of Student Work

 Disability Accommodations

UW Disability Resources for Students (DRS) helps students establish academic accommodations for their disabilities, and provides services to support them throughout the process. Their office is in room 011 of Mary Gates Hall, and they can be reached at 206-543-8924. To start the process, students submit an online accommodation request with medical documentation, then meet with DRS to discuss accommodation needs. DRS will then contact students’ instructors to arrange appropriate accommodations, and will support students in communicating with instructors. The process can take several weeks, so start early!

 Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form.

 Inclusivity

The Information School is committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive learning environment. Faculty are encouraged to write or adapt a statement of values in their own voice, display this prominently in their syllabus / course website, and discuss it with students on the first day of class. The statement should address topics such as:  

• Learning in an environment of mutual respect in the classroom, and giving behavioral examples of what that means.  
• Establishing guidelines for discussion of sensitive topics or having difficult conversations.  
• Promoting active listening and establishing the classroom (both in person and all virtual extensions) as a safe space for the sharing ideas and contrasting perspectives.  
• Use vocabulary and language the signals awareness of ideas and concepts regarding  equity, inclusion, and social justice.  
• Identifying one’s own positionality as it may relate to the subject matter of the course.