Issue 157 - March 2025
NEWS: WORTHY
Staff Guidelines for Safe and Secure Libraries
By Dr. Steve AlbrechtFocusing on service, safety, and security can help create a library environment that benefits both staff and patrons:
- Service: Assisting patrons and co-workers.
- Safety: Being aware of and vigilant about risks, potential problems, and previous incidents. All staff can make a difference in keeping patrons and co-workers safe, especially by sharing or supporting concerns.
- Security: Everybody is responsible, including library administration, employees, volunteers, and even patrons and vendors. Anyone can point out issues that need to be recognized and addressed.
To create a safe library, staff should ask themselves if they feel:
- Physically safe: Walking into work, while at work at the library, and leaving work.
- Mentally safe: Confident, empowered, able to concentrate on daily tasks, and able to serve library patrons and co-workers without distraction, anxiety, or fear.
- Emotionally safe: Stable, grounded, and in control of feelings, thoughts, actions, and decisions. Be comfortable establishing personal limits and boundaries as to how one wants to be treated by patrons.
Library Safety
Every facility open to the public establishes an “invitee relationship,” which means there is an obligation to provide a safe environment for staff and patrons. This includes ensuring the space is free from hazards and problematic individuals.
Library staff must help their leadership team identify the main patron behavioral issues—the “frequent fliers”—who are the most challenging patrons. Use staff meetings to create useful and repeatable responses for dealing with these “frequent fliers.” Remember that patrons are usually challenging rather than difficult; it’s a critical descriptive distinction.
Staff should distinguish between two primary types of patron body language:
- Positive, non-threatening behaviors: Smiles; nods in agreement; offers to shake hands; keeps hands down/palms open; speaks in an even, neutral, polite, or friendly tone; has non-aggressive eye contact and calm breathing; stands still; speaks at a reasonable volume; and cooperates early
- Hostile, threatening behaviors: Sudden flushed or contorted face, direct and forceful eye contact, widening eyes, frowning, faster breathing, licking lips, flexing fists, crossing and uncrossing arms, shifting foot to foot, finger pointing, swallowing, sudden sweating, violating space, rising to appear larger, being on the verge of tears, cursing, counter or table-pounding, kicking objects, being loud at first then quiet. All of these behaviors can be a precursor to violence.
Library staff should rely on their intuition during intense conversations or hostile encounters. Assess the likely outcome versus personal fears or anxieties. Avoid overreacting or underreacting.
When enforcing a code of conduct, remember the essential eight: Be firm, fair, consistent, assertive, legal, patient, empathic, and reasonable with everyone encountered.
Recognizing community diversity and employing various strategies to assist individuals facing challenges is crucial for providing adequate support. Develop tools to relate to and de-escalate situations with patrons who have mental health, housing, and substance use issues. Be aware of community and social support resources for these patrons, including knowing when to call paramedics during serious medical problems.
If there isn’t one in place, create an employee-led safety committee. This committee should meet quarterly to discuss issues and bring concerns, ideas, policy improvements, or solutions to their department director.
Library Security
Know building safety (e.g., panic buttons) and emergency evacuation procedures. Know how and where to escort patrons with mobility issues to those exits. (Know the “Run-Hide-Fight” response in the rare possibility of an active shooter.)
Accurate and timely documentation helps make better policy decisions and justify the need for security improvements. All staff need to know how to report security incidents or safety hazards and how to create a security incident report.
Lastly, public service jobs with high public contact can be frustrating, tiring, and stressful. Recognize self-care needs. Look for wellness opportunities at work and search online for professional and personal stress management tools on and off the job.
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 cover the dos and don’ts of handling challenging, entitled, or even threatening patrons, including the homeless, mentally ill, gang members, thieves, internet hogs, and others who want to disrupt library activities. Other topics covered include safe workplace behaviors, security measures, and how to activate 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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