OC Pepper Spray:
What Librarians Need to Know About This Self-Defense Tool
Part of the Library 2.0 Service, Safety, and Security / Essential Librarian Series with Dr. Steve Albrecht
OVERVIEW:
Of all the personal safety questions Dr. Steve Albrecht has been asked by library employees during his 25-year library consulting career, the ones about carrying or using OC Pepper Spray are by far the most common. Many female library staffers have particular concerns about the effectiveness of OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) Pepper Spray, especially in an indoor environment. Others have questions about the legality; whether and how they can get permission from their library directors to carry it; how to carry it safely; washing it off after use; possible building contamination concerns; and some of the ethical, legal, and moral guidelines surrounding this non-lethal, portable, and useful self-defense device.
Dr. Steve Albrecht has taught a half-day OC Pepper Spray course for several decades, training parking enforcers; park, lake, and water utility rangers; lifeguards; building inspectors; health department inspectors; and code compliance officers. Join him as he provides practical ideas about the use of OC Pepper Spray during serious library safety and security encounters, to help library leaders and staffers create a safer, more secure library.
LEARNING AGENDA:
- Is OC Pepper Spray legal to own and carry in all 50 states? (Yes, as long as you are at least 18 years old. There are some restrictions in some states about the size of the canister and/or the percentage of dilution of the OC mixture.)
- Do you need specific training to carry OC Pepper Spray? (No, but it helps a lot to boost your confidence and awareness of how to use it in a self-defense situation. Steve will show you how and why to attend an online training class, created by one of the instructors he has used to teach dozens of municipal clients and their employees.)
- What is the most effective form of OC Pepper Spray? (Spray, gel, or foam each have their indoor versus outdoor uses; some even have dye in them to make later identification of an attacker to the police all the more obvious.)
- Learn the Draw - Shake - Warn - Spray - and Move model for its best use.
This 60-minute overview session on is another in our “Essential Librarian Series,” designed to be shown to new staff and leaders and to provide a refresher for all who work in the library. The presentation slides will be available to all who participate.
DATE: Thursday, March 27th, 2025 at 2:00 pm US - Eastern Time
COST:
- FREE - includes any-time access to the recording and the presentation slides and receiving a participation certificate.
TO REGISTER:
- Click HERE to register.
NOTE: please check your spam folder if you don't receive your confirmation email within a day.
Since 2000, Dr. Steve Albrecht has trained thousands of library employees in 28+ states, live and online, in service, safety, and security. His programs are fast, entertaining, and provide tools that can be put to use immediately in the library workspace with all types of patrons.
In 2015, the ALA published his book, Library Security: Better Communication, Safer Facilities. His new book, The Safe Library: Keeping Users, Staff, and Collections Secure, was just published by Rowman & Littlefield.
Steve holds a doctoral degree in Business Administration (D.B.A.), an M.A. in Security Management, a B.A. in English, and a B.S. in Psychology. He is board-certified in HR, security management, employee coaching, and threat assessment.
He has written 25 books on business, security, and leadership topics. He lives in Springfield, Missouri, with six dogs and two cats.
More on The Safe Library at thesafelibrary.com. Follow on X (Twitter) at @thesafelibrary and on YouTube @thesafelibrary. Dr. Albrecht's professional website is drstevealbrecht.com.
