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Handling Challenging Library Patron Behaviors: Use These Six Choices

By Dr. Steve Albrecht

At every level, library staff play a vital role in ensuring excellent service, a safe environment, and secure spaces for all patrons. To support National Library Week, which runs from April 19 through 25, 2026, the California JPIA is highlighting safety concepts for member agencies with libraries.

Course Developer and Instructor, Dr. Steve Albrecht, who teaches the Authority’s li-brary service, safety, and security workshops, said that during the course, staff often ask if they handled a difficult patron situation correctly. While there is no way to predict every behavior, Albrecht has six criteria related to library safety that provide a service framework for responding to problematic patrons.

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While the six approaches listed below do not encompass every scenario, they provide a structure of support that may help during difficult situations.

Intuition

When faced with a difficult situation, what does your gut feeling tell you to do? Does it tell you to get help, back away, call a manager or supervisor, push the panic button, or call 9-1-1? Intuition is a valuable tool, says Hollywood security expert Gavin de Becker in his bestselling book, “The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence,” because it’s “knowing what to do without knowing why.” The ‘little voice’ that tells us to talk more, talk less, take action, get help, or move away, is built into our DNA. Don’t ignore it. Listen to your intuition.     

Code of Conduct

What do the rules built into your agency’s Code of Conduct tell you to do? Is the patron’s behavior a clear violation, meaning they need to be asked to stop it or leave, or is it more about something that can be handled with a verbal warning?

The Code of Conduct can’t cover every problematic library behavior. Still, it’s a useful place to start, especially because it offers one of the best ways to be firm, fair, consistent, assertive, legal, empathetic, patient, and reasonable.

Library Policy

Many libraries have a Policies and Procedures (P&P) Manual that outlines the steps library staff need to take to address a range of issues related to patron behaviors. The P&P can be seen as a larger, more thorough, more in-depth version of the Code of Conduct.

State, County, or City Laws

Librarians do not need to become lawyers, but every state has a collection of law books that address various problematic library behaviors. These include the Penal Code (for crimes that occur in the library, like assault, battery, theft, vandalism, making threats); the Health & Safety Code (often used for drug and alcohol offenses); or the Welfare and Institutions Code (often used to define mental health concerns, like “danger to self or others” or “gravely disabled”).

Cities and counties have Municipal Codes that cover everything from illegal parking at the library to soliciting for money to overnight sleeping in public places.

The purpose of these law books and codes is to help library leaders and their staff enforce consequences for problematic library behaviors that harm the overall library experience and undermine the enjoyment others seek when they walk into the building. Library staff should familiarize themselves with each of these codified statutes.

Precedent

How has your agency addressed similar patron behavior issues in the past, particularly with some of the more persistent or “frequent flyer” patrons? Approaches can vary from branch to branch, as geography often influences both patron behavior and staff response. While what worked previously may not always be effective again, recognizing these patterns can help us avoid escalating situations and instead apply proven solutions based on prior experience.

Reasonableness

Reasonableness is an important concept for librarians to understand and apply when addressing challenging situations. This court-tested principle provides a foundation for determining whether the response given was appropriate. In practice, it means asking collectively, as library leaders and staff, “Did we do the right thing, on behalf of the staff and the patrons? Was our approach thoughtful and measured, making sure we neither overreacted nor under-reacted?” Being reasonable is about making decisions that reflect thoughtfulness and incorporate the previous elements listed above. By doing so, libraries can ensure their actions are grounded in fairness and serve the best interests of everyone involved.

These six approaches can assist your agency in building a safe, secure, peaceful, accessible library, with staff who are trained, empowered, confident, supported, and willing to serve all who want to use the facility properly.

Training

The Authority offers training for those interested in learning more about library safety and security. Library Service, Safety, and Security (in person) or Library Service, Safety, and Security – Virtual both cover the dos and don’ts of handling challenging, entitled, or even threatening patrons, and others who want to disrupt library activities. Other topics covered include safe workplace behaviors, security measures, and activating high-risk customer service skills. These trainings offer practical and realistic tools to make facilities better, safer workplaces.

To attend a training, contact your agency’s training registrar.

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