Sample Answer
Risk Assessment of a Medium Sized Public Library
Introduction
Risk assessment has become a vital part of safeguarding public buildings, especially those that attract large, diverse groups of users. A medium sized public library is a useful example because it holds valuable assets, welcomes steady visitor flow and must remain open and accessible while still managing realistic threats. This essay follows the simplified FEMA model outlined in the publication Risk Assessment: A How-to Guide to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks Against Buildings. The model includes five main steps. These are identifying the threats, assessing the value of assets, evaluating vulnerabilities, determining the level of risk and considering mitigation options. Each stage is discussed in relation to the chosen library so the full assessment feels grounded in a real operational setting rather than a theoretical exercise.
Threat Identification and Rating
The first stage in the FEMA process is to identify the threats that could plausibly affect the facility. The goal is not to predict specific events but to understand categories of harm that the building could face. For a public library, the main threats include accidental hazards, deliberate harm and environmental risks. Accidental threats cover fire caused by faulty wiring, water leaks from ageing pipes or injuries related to slips and falls. Deliberate threats include vandalism, minor criminal activity and disruptive behaviour from individuals who refuse to follow library rules. A public library does not hold high value targets in the way government buildings do, but it still contains crowds, staff and valuable records, so it is not exempt from general security concerns.
Environmental threats are tied to the local context. This library is located in a town centre where seasonal flooding has been recorded several times in the last decade. Strong storms have also caused power outages in the area. These environmental threats can disrupt operations, damage materials and create unsafe conditions for visitors.
Once threats are identified, they are assigned a simple rating based on likelihood and potential impact. Likelihood reflects how often similar events have occurred in the region. Impact reflects how disruptive or harmful the event would be. For example, vandalism has a moderate likelihood because it has occurred in other public buildings nearby and a moderate impact because repairs are costly but not catastrophic. Flooding has a lower likelihood but a high impact because water damage can destroy books, archives and electrical systems. Fire has a low likelihood due to existing controls but a high impact. This simple rating stage helps managers prioritise their attention and resources.
Asset Value Assessment
The second FEMA step is to assess the value of assets within the building. Assets include people, physical property, equipment, systems and functions. The library’s most important asset is the safety of its visitors and staff. On a typical weekday, the building serves students, researchers, elderly community members, parents with young children and occasional tourists. Protecting people must remain the highest priority.
The second key asset is the library’s collection. Books, rare local history materials and digital archives have significant cultural, financial and irreplaceable value. A loss of these materials would damage the library’s long term role in the community. The third asset group includes digital systems, such as catalogues, computer labs and Wi-Fi networks. These underpin everyday operations. Damage to these systems could disrupt service delivery or compromise sensitive user data.
The final asset category is the building itself. The structure is twenty five years old and has been well maintained, but some parts of the electrical and drainage systems are nearing renewal age. Understanding the value of the building helps justify investments in strengthening weak points. FEMA encourages rating assets according to importance, which helps shape risk decisions later on. For this library, the hierarchy is people first, collections second, systems third and physical infrastructure fourth.
Vulnerability Assessment
Vulnerability assessment examines weaknesses that make assets more exposed to harm. Some vulnerabilities relate to building design. The library has large glass windows facing the street. Although they provide natural light and an open atmosphere, they can be broken easily during vandalism or extreme storms. Another vulnerability is the open floor layout. This design supports accessibility but makes it difficult for staff to control movement during an emergency.
The main entrance is well used and sometimes overcrowded during school visits. This congestion can slow evacuation or make it harder for staff to monitor who enters the building. The rear emergency exit opens into a narrow alleyway, which can become slippery during heavy rain. This poses a safety concern during evacuations.
On the digital side, the library uses a central server room located in the basement. The basement is close to ground level and therefore more exposed to flood water. Staff have already reported minor dampness on one wall during previous storm seasons. If water reached the server room, digital systems could fail.
The vulnerability assessment also considers organisational factors. Staff training has been inconsistent due to turnover. Some employees have completed safety training recently while others have not refreshed their knowledge for several years. In a library environment, staff are the first responders to minor incidents, so uneven training weakens overall resilience.
Risk Assessment
The risk assessment stage combines the earlier steps. Risk is seen as the interaction between the identified threats, the value of assets and the vulnerabilities. For the library, several risk patterns emerge. The highest risk relates to environmental threats affecting valuable assets, specifically flooding affecting the basement server room and parts of the collection. Even though major flooding is not highly frequent, the impact would be severe and the vulnerabilities are clear.
Another notable risk concerns fire. Libraries contain large quantities of paper and wood, which means fire can spread quickly. Although the building has alarms and extinguishers, the electrical wiring is ageing and could fail without warning. The impact of a fire would be devastating to people and collections.
Security related risks are generally moderate. Vandalism and disruptive behaviour happen occasionally but have not caused serious harm. However, the open layout and large windows still present vulnerabilities that could escalate minor issues if not managed properly.
Risk to digital assets is also significant. The basement server room faces environmental risks and the library stores user data that must be protected. Loss of digital services would disrupt operations and compromise the public’s trust in the institution.
By combining likelihood and impact across these threat groups, the library can prioritise which risks need immediate attention. Flooding, fire and digital system protection rise to the top. Vandalism and minor security threats remain important but less urgent.
