Navigating Difficult Situations in Public Libraries

Dr. Margaret Ann Paauw is an Assistant Professor at Eastern Michigan University and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Dr. Paauw has been practicing social work since 2012, working mainly with people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity and serious mental illness. Dr. Paauw worked as a library social worker for the Chicago Public Library, was an active member of the Public Library Association’s Library Social Work Taskforce, facilitated the library social work direct service call, and co-authored A Trauma Informed Framework for Supporting Patrons. Dr. Paauw has consulted on library social work partnerships and provided trauma-informed and de-escalation trainings to libraries across the country. Dr. Paauw’s main area of research has been on the efficacy of library social work partnerships, building the body of research contributing to evidence for this practice.