Good manners and a friendly demeanor will ensure that frontline library personnel can handle most library customer issues. But what if being courteous is not enough? Do you and your co-workers know what to do if someone is emotionally bullying or physically threatening to staff or library visitors? Belligerent? Acting out because of drugs, alcohol, illness, stress, or cognitive issues? Refusing to leave? Caught stealing or damaging property?
 
The first step is to build the foundation for a safe and welcoming library. Addressing hostile and potentially dangerous behaviors begins with planning, which includes engaging your community in conversations about principles and values, creating policies that are reasonable and enforceable, and evaluating the physical plant. Training your library’s personnel means establishing guidelines for consistent behavior that ensures both staff and visitors are treated fairly and with respect. The awareness, attitude, and actions of library employees are the first defenses against customers who are AOA (Angry on Arrival). However, to be successful employees need support from supervisors and managers, working together to protect library employees, customers, vendors, and visitors as well as your workplace’s property.
 
Topics include how we influence the behaviors of others; setting limits on what is acceptable; preventing escalation: don’t engage emotionally; distractions, alternatives, and disengagement; and trusting your gut: when to call authorities.
 
Following this webinar, you will know how to:
• Ensure everyone on the staff knows what to do in emergencies.
• Lower the drama of difficult encounters with library customers.
• Develop consistent responses to challenging customer behavior.
• Improve basic security features of your workplace.