Library Journal has long highlighted and celebrated the resiliency libraries show in the face of hardship. Whether through our annual awards for those that have stepped forward after an unanticipated crisis, or Movers & Shakers profiles of library workers who go above and beyond to meet their community’s immediate needs, we have always recognized that libraries have a role to play in the worst of times.

What has changed, however, is the way we have come to view catastrophic events. The consensus among the scientific community, from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to the Environmental Protection Agency, is that climate change is driven by human activity and that extreme weather events—wildfires, floods, drought, and storms—will intensify with a warming planet. That trajectory will give libraries more critical roles to play, even as it leaves them as vulnerable to damage—physical, psychological, and financial—as the rest of their communities. How can library leaders, staff, funders, and advocates prepare for this uncertain, unsettling future? There is no playbook for libraries to navigate the impacts of climate change. Severe weather risks differ widely from region to region, revealing multiple vulnerabilities across communities.

But this is where libraries excel: planning, preserving, connecting, facilitating, prioritizing. In our Climate Crisis series, rolling out over the next two weeks, LJ writers examine climate chaos from multiple perspectives and offer their thoughts on ways to address climate impact.

Their reports touch on only a few of the myriad questions and concerns libraries have—and should have—about the impact of climate change on their facilities and communities. But we hope they will start or build on conversations and inspire some thoughts about next steps. Stay safe, everyone.