When Disaster Strikes: Opportunities for Community and Institutional Renewal at Elliot Lake Public Library

Abstract

On June 23, 2012, the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake, Ontario, collapsed suddenly, killing two people, injuring many more, and destroying many of the community’s services, including the public library. After describing the events leading up to, during, and following the destruction of Elliot Lake Public Library, I discuss five opportunities for community and institutional renewal that are not currently being realized by the library. The destruction of the library need not be an entirely negative experience but, rather, a catalyst for refocusing the library’s role and improving its services and facilities in order to better meet the changing information needs of the community.

KEYWORDS:

• Canada
• disaster management
• disaster recovery
• library governance
• public libraries

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Adam Stewart

Adam Stewart holds an MLIS from the University of Western Ontario and a PhD from the University of Waterloo where he was formerly a lecturer in the Departments of Religious Studies and Sociology. He currently works as a Metadata Librarian at the American Theological Library Association in Chicago, Illinois.