A Holistic Approach to Library Safety

I have spoken with many library systems about how they approach safety in their spaces. Almost every time I speak on the topic, someone asks why I didn’t spend more time talking about violent scenarios or things like active shoot scenarios.

Over the years, I’ve realized that when people initially think about library safety, their minds often go immediately to catastrophic events:

• violence

• active assailants

• worst-case scenarios

They ask questions like “What do I do if something violent happens?” or “How do I keep myself safe from something catastrophic?” These are important questions and libraries should absolutely prepare for emergencies and significant threats.

I’ve also found that when we focus too heavily on the big, obvious safety situations, we lose sight of the many smaller opportunities to create safety every day.

Because our brains go to these bigger, obvious safety situations, most libraries have likely created plans for major emergencies. Organizations often have safety committees, emergency response plans, and regular reviews of accidents or critical incidents.

Staff know to:

• call 911

• evacuate buildings

• follow emergency procedures

But less time is spent thinking about the lower-level situations that happen every day that can often become larger issues when they go unaddressed.

Library safety is not only about emergencies.

It is also about:

• patron behavior

• staff responses

• environmental conditions

• organizational support

• how predictable and supported the library feels for both staff and patrons

The behavior spectrum

I tend to think about behavior in libraries on a spectrum.

On one end are behaviors that are clearly dangerous or illegal. The response is generally straightforward:

• keep people safe

• contact emergency services

• follow crisis procedures

On the other end are low-level disruptive behaviors:

• asking someone not to run

• redirecting noise levels

• asking people not to block access points

These situations happen routinely in libraries. They may not pose immediate danger, but they still shape the environment.

When these lower-level behaviors are not addressed early, they often escalate. At times, other patrons may begin to feel frustrated or unsafe. Sometimes they intervene themselves when they don’t see staff responding, creating a larger and more complicated situation.

In the middle of the spectrum are the situations staff often struggle with the most, the behaviors that are not clearly dangerous, but create discomfort and uncertainty.

Staff may find themselves wondering:

• “Are they going to explode on me?”

• “How long is this interaction going to take?”

• “What if I can’t resolve this?”

• “Does this technically violate the code of conduct?”

This is where much of the real safety work in libraries happens.

Why one solution is never enough

Every library is different, and libraries are full of humans with different experiences, trauma histories, comfort levels, communication styles, and responses to conflict. Because of this, there is no single strategy or response that will solve every safety concern or work in every situation.

I encourage libraries to approach safety and security holistically because no single strategy, department, or role can create safe and welcoming environments on its own. Policies, security presence, training, and frontline staff all play important roles, but none of them are fully effective independently. Safety is shaped through the interaction of multiple interconnected layers working together, including organizational systems, the library environment, staff support, and everyday human interactions. When these layers are aligned, libraries are better able to create environments that feel predictable, supportive, and safe for both staff and patrons.

Organizational or system level

The organizational level includes the overall philosophy and structure the library system creates around safety and service.

This includes:

• policies and procedures

• leadership expectations

• training

• documentation practices

• supervisor support

• trust in staff decision making 

Organizations shape how comfortable staff feel addressing behavior long before any interaction takes place. When staff are supported by clear expectations, consistent guidance, aligned leadership practices, and meaningful reinforcement after incidents occur, they are more likely to engage early and respond consistently. These systems reduce uncertainty and help staff feel confident that they will be supported when navigating difficult situations.

Library or local level

The local level includes both the library environment and the day-to-day operational practices within the branch itself. Factors such as staffing patterns, staff visibility and presence, environmental design, lighting and sight lines, management of shared spaces, and relationships with community partners all influence how safe and welcoming a library feels.

Physical spaces shape both behavior and people’s perception of safety, often in ways that are subtle but significant. Simple operational practices can make a meaningful difference, including staff regularly moving throughout the building, greeting patrons proactively, maintaining visibility in all areas of the space, and creating predictable expectations for how shared environments are used.

These are not just operational decisions. They are part of creating safer and more welcoming spaces.

Human level

The human level is often the most important and the most overlooked. Safety is experienced relationally. How staff engage with patrons, regulate themselves during stressful situations, communicate expectations, and navigate boundaries directly shapes the environment.

This level includes:

• trauma-informed or healing centered approaches

• emotional regulation

• relationship building

• self-awareness

• healthy boundaries

• staff well-being

Staff only have control over themselves and how they show up to an interaction, but that presence has a tremendous influence on how situations unfold. When staff are supported in setting healthy boundaries, responding consistently, engaging with curiosity instead of assumption, and stepping away from interactions when needed, they are better able to create environments that feel both welcoming and predictable.

These practices not only support staff well-being, but also help patrons understand what to expect and how to successfully engage within the library space.

Why all three levels matter together

Safety in libraries cannot be created through any single strategy, role, or response. Training alone does not create consistency if staff return to environments where expectations and support are unclear. Security presence without active staff engagement can shift environments into reactive patterns rather than preventing issues early. Policies may outline expectations, but without trust and reinforcement from leadership, staff often hesitate to act. In the same way, healthy boundaries are difficult to maintain when staff are unsure whether those boundaries will be supported in practice.

Creating safe and welcoming library environments requires alignment across the organization, the physical space, and the people within it. When libraries approach safety holistically, responsibility and investment are shared across all levels of the organization rather than resting solely on frontline staff, leadership, or security personnel alone. This shared investment creates stronger systems, more consistent practices, and environments that feel safer and more welcoming for both staff and patrons over time.

Thinking Differently

While we cannot predict or control every situation that happens in libraries, we can create environments that better support staff and patrons in navigating them successfully.

That requires moving beyond crisis-only thinking.

A holistic approach to library safety recognizes that safety is not created in one moment of response. It is built every day through systems, spaces, relationships, and consistent support.

And when libraries approach safety this way, staff are more empowered, patrons are more supported, and library spaces become both safer and more welcoming for everyone.

Safe and welcoming library environments are built through aligned systems, supported staff, and intentional practices. If your organization is working toward a more holistic approach to safety and service, I offer consulting and training grounded in trauma-informed, human-centered library work.