2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In early Fall 2025, the author’s academic library experienced two swatting events that increased stress levels throughout the library as well as across campus. Such events are, unfortunately, increasingly common in higher education settings. When combined with other new causes of stress and trauma, such as grant cancellations, visa challenges, and the capricious actions of the federal government, swatting can increase the chances that STEM librarians work with students and colleagues who are experiencing impacts from trauma and emotional distress. This conference paper addresses how trauma-informed practices (TIP) can help librarians create more inclusive, welcoming, and safe library services and spaces that support all members of our communities, including those who are dealing with the impacts of trauma. TIP are most critical for supporting certain groups, such as individuals with marginalized identities, those who are directly impacted by targeted political actions, or those who have a prior history of trauma. This overview of TIP in the library and information science literature focuses on the value of trauma informed practices and librarianship for STEM librarians, who regularly work with a wide variety of students, faculty, staff, and researchers.