This study presents an overview of collected literature relevant to school buildings, or building in general, in disaster-prone areas, together with some discussion of the role that school buildings, as a universally present community asset, may play in situations of crisis. The natural disasters referred to in this study include cyclones and other strong winds, flooding, earthquake, landslide, and fire. A brief note gives definitions of types of natural disasters derived from some of the works cited. Other emergency situations and hazards involving community action are the subject of occasional references in the text and within the works annotated. A section at the conclusion of each category lists the countries or regions referred to in the references within that category. (Author/MLF)