Public libraries became more than temporary shelters. Especially for children, they turned into safe and restorative spaces. Games were played, books were read, and small theatrical performances were organized. For children who could not attend school, libraries offered something that felt familiar and stabilizing. Even where permanent library buildings were unusable, mobile libraries extended this support. In those early weeks, institutions commonly seen only as places for information access became spaces of emotional relief and social solidarity.

Yet none of this is possible if libraries themselves do not survive the disaster.

Measuring Earthquake Risk for Library Buildings

Earthquakes occur along fault lines, where accumulated energy is suddenly released and ground shaking is most intense. Buildings located close to these fault lines are therefore at higher risk of severe damage or collapse. For libraries, this risk goes beyond structural loss. When a library collapses, access to information is interrupted, community spaces disappear, and recovery processes are weakened. The question is not only whether buildings stand, but whether societies retain places where collective healing can begin.

This leads to a fundamental issue: how exposed are public libraries to seismic risk, and where were the libraries that suffered the most damage during the February 2023 earthquakes actually located?

My research shows a striking pattern. Almost all libraries that were destroyed or severely damaged during the earthquakes were located in the zones closest to active fault lines. This spatial concentration highlights how decisive location is in shaping damage outcomes, and how little this risk has been discussed in relation to library infrastructure.

To explore this relationship, I used Geographic Information Systems to measure the distance of public libraries to active fault lines and to map risk zones across the country. The map produced through this research makes one thing immediately visible: libraries that suffered the most severe damage cluster closest to active fault lines. GIS allows invisible risks to become legible and opens space for asking spatial questions that are otherwise overlooked.

Figure 1. Distances of public libraries in Turkiye to active fault lines and the buffer zones generated based on these distances.

At the same time, this process revealed a critical limitation. Access to spatial and structural data remains uneven. Information about soil types, building characteristics, or local ground conditions is often unavailable, restricted, or subject to fees. These data gaps make risks harder to identify and preventive planning more difficult.

Despite these limitations, GIS-based risk mapping clearly demonstrates its value. It allows us to identify libraries that are most exposed to seismic hazards and to prioritize them for retrofitting, relocation, or reinforced construction. Risk maps can inform not only emergency planning, but also long-term decisions about where new libraries should be built and how existing ones should be strengthened.

The example of the Adıyaman Provincial Public Library illustrates what is possible. Built according to more recent standards, the building remained intact and was able to function as a shelter and community space after the earthquake. Its resilience was not accidental. It reflects the impact of construction quality, planning decisions, and investment choices made long before the disaster occurred.

Public libraries are often discussed in terms of what they provide after crises. This research suggests that we must also ask a prior question: how do we protect libraries themselves? Ensuring their resilience is not only an architectural or technical concern. It is a societal responsibility. Libraries safeguard collective memory, support learning, and offer inclusive public spaces. When they fail, communities lose more than walls and shelves.

The February 2023 earthquakes remind us that resilience cannot be improvised after disaster strikes. It must be planned in advance, using spatial knowledge, open data, and informed policy decisions. If libraries are to remain vital nodes of recovery and solidarity, we must start by ensuring that they can stand when the ground begins to shake.