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De-escalation Guide for Libraries: Home

De-escalation Resources for Massachusetts Libraries

About this guide

Discover resources to de-escalate distress behaviors at your library.

On this page:

On this Page:

Guide Editor:

Michelle Eberle

Email Me

Contact:

(508) 357-2121 x305

Subjects: Advocacy, Community, Library Management, Marketing and Outreach, Planning, Reference

De-escalation Techniques

De-Escalation Techniques for Real-Life Programming Scenarios
By Hannah Arata, ALA Public Programs Office, Programming Librarians (May 26, 2022)
De-escalation: A Crucial Tool in Libraries for Promoting Intellectual Freedom
Steven Ward, Forsyth Public Library, Illinois Library Association (June 1, 2023)
Pocket Guide to De-escalation (Georgia Libraries)
Sunday Reflections: That Delicate Balance Between Quality Patron Services and Employee Personal Boundaries
Karen Jensen. The Teen Librarian Toolbox (January 21, 2018)
How can I de-escalate a situation when someone is angry or agitated?
New South Wales Health (July 12, 2023)
Safety in Libraries (Vermont Department of Libraries)
Joy Worland (July 2023)
Communication Styles (Think Cultural Health)
Keep in mind communication styles and how they tend to vary across cultures.

De-escalation Trainings

Crisis Prevention Institute Verbal Intervention Training
Presented by Michelle Eberle, MLS, Certified CPI Verbal intervention Trainer
In-person trainings at Mass. Library System offices (spring 2024)
De-escalation Strategies for Libraries, Archives, and Museum Staff
WebJunction Self-paced Course (1 hour)
When Not to Call the Cops (webinar recording)
Jarrett Dapier and Emily Knox. BCALA (March 22, 2021)
De-escalation Training for Libraries (Library Journal)
May 30, 2024 at 2 PM ($89- $106)
Defend Yourself: Safer Libraries
4 hour workshops

Patron Behavior Policies

Policies (Lawrence Public Library)

Library Incident Reporting

About Incident Reporting

Incident Report Writing: A Person-in-Incident Approach
by Debra Keane, LCSW. Public Libraries Online (April 12, 2019)

Examples of Library Incident Report Forms

Incident Tracking Tools

Machform (for Incident tracking)
Used by some libraries to keep track of stats for NTO's (No Trespass Orders)

Trespass Procedures

Trespass Procedures (Forbes Library)

Recommended Reading

Request a book from the MLS Professional Collection

Creating a Person-Centered Library by Elizabeth A. Wahler; Sarah C. Johnson
ISBN: 9781440880834
Publication Date: 2023-12-28
Trauma Stewardship by Connie Burk; Laura van Dernoot Lipsky
ISBN: 9781576759448
Publication Date: 2009-05-04
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Library Services by Rebecca Tolley
ISBN: 9780838919811
Publication Date: 2020-07-14

About this guide

This guide was created by Michelle Eberle, Massachusetts Library System Consultant, Certified Crisis Prevention Institute Verbal Intervention Trainer.