Social Work Consulting Services for Libraries
Beth Wahler, MSW, PhD brings a social work lens to contemporary public library challenges and offers support for libraries of all sizes. Although many libraries may not want or be ready to hire their own social worker, Beth aims to make social work-informed solutions accessible for every library through individual consultation, staff training and support programs, administrative coaching, needs assessments of staff, patrons, or communities, and individualized program design. With 25 years of professional experience in organizational leadership, trauma-informed services, program administration and development, training/education, and working with complex human challenges such as mental health problems, substance use disorders, intimate partner violence, homelessness, and poverty-related barriers/needs, Beth will work with your library to understand your needs, resources, and goals and collaboratively design solutions that will work for you.
Services Offered:
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Consultation
Individualized consultation and support about your library’s specific needs re: serving high-need patrons while also supporting your staff, guidance and coaching for administrative teams attempting to address staff trauma/stress, guidance with initiating a social work practicum placement in your library, or help planning services, programming, or resources to address your library’s patron or staff needs
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Training and Coaching
Personalized workshops or training sessions for staff, management teams, board members, or other constituents on patron psychosocial needs, managing patron challenges, trauma informed approaches, organizational approaches for supporting staff, boundaries, self-care, library/social work collaborations, or other topics as requested
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Assessment and Program Design
Assistance with assessing your library's needs and designing a plan that will address your unique needs and resources, including assessments and program design for supporting management teams, staff groups, or patron populations
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Facilitated Library Staff Skill-Building Groups
Facilitation of groups with your library staff to help them build skills for improving their response to common patron scenarios, including one-time groups or ongoing, regularly scheduled sessions to provide staff support, opportunities for reflection, and help with skill development
What People Are Saying
“At a time when public services are stretched to their absolute maximum capacity and citizens of our communities are experiencing increased poverty, homelessness and behavioral health challenges, Dr. Wahler’s innovative work offers a low-cost solution to addressing the needs of a public organization critical to all communities and residents in need of services.”
“This [trauma-informed librarianship] training was up there with the best of the best trainings I have done. There were things for all levels of staff, new and old, on the floor, programming and middle management as well as the leadership team and CEO. There were things we did well, things we need to improve on, and definitely things we need to start doing. This was a timely, relevant training.”
“We are regularly presented with patron needs that we are not trained or equipped to meet, and we often respond with solutions that are ad hoc at best. Because of Beth’s work, we are able to provide a much higher quality response.”
“The training on trauma-informed librarianship was so useful and exactly what we need to help our library effect change around trauma-informed practice.”
“Beth has a strong understanding of the parallels and important differences between social work and librarianship and knows that each community is going to be different and needs to find their own solution. I highly recommend Beth and look forward to working with her again.”
“I strongly recommend Beth as a researcher, advocate, and colleague. Without her work, we would have had a much more difficult path forward to where we are today.”
Let’s Work Together
Every library has different needs. Contact Beth for staff training, community workshops, program development, or general consultation about your library’s needs and the ways she might be able to help.