In a perfect world, school libraries would have unlimited budgets with the latest technology. They would be responsible for one building, staffed with a full-time professional school librarian, paraprofessionals, and a district director. The students, staff, and community would understand the breadth and depth of the school librarian's job. However, in this world of economic woes, many school librarians are clearly not in a perfect world. "If" they have a job, they may have seen their time and energy split between multiple buildings and no paraprofessional or district director. Given these circumstances, how can school librarians still "empower learners" as the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) recommends? The model to follow may be found in how an emergency room (ER) works in a hospital. The staff never knows what will happen, but they typically handle emergencies ranging from trivial to critical with aplomb. They calmly prioritize the needs of the patients, and the most critical take precedence over the less needy. This approach may work for school librarians who are struggling with handling multiple sites. An ER staff does not make up things in the moment. Long before an emergency happens, lots of preparation has been done. The same goes for school librarians in these difficult times. This article discusses some ER strategies that school librarians should focus on. (Lists 2 resources.)