The Safe Library - Service, Safety, & Security with Dr. Steve Albrecht

By Dr. Steve Albrecht

Here’s a tweet I sent out on September 28, 2022, about several libraries in the US closing because of “unspecified threats.”

I work in threat assessment and workplace violence prevention. I’ve trained thousands of library employees for over 22 years. I always recommend not closing based on these types of threats, because it just encourages more. The threat makers need to learn they can’t control libraries.

That tweet led to my meeting library journalist Claire Woodcock. She wrote a piece for Motherboard Tech by VICE, which ran online on October 18, 2022: “Libraries Are Beefing Up Security After a Series of Violent Threats: Some librarians are trying to protect patrons without increasing the presence of police and security guards.” (https://bit.ly/3Bk9yym) 

Here’s my contribution to her story:

Although the ALA does not have a set of policies and procedures for library safety and security, the organization does work with a handful of consultants who specialize in library security. Steve Albrecht, according to many, is one of the only games in town. He says that the more detailed a threat, the more likely it is to be credible, but does not advocate for closing a facility if a threat is received. 

"We find out about bombs in this country after they go off and lots of people make bomb threats, where there are no bombs, and I think we overreact to bomb threats because we are conditioned to shut everything down," Albrecht, a former police officer, told Motherboard. "I don't mean we don't look for a real device or don't pay attention or don't call the police. But I'm saying it's not always our first option."

Albrecht advocates for librarians to undergo training that teaches them how to work with law enforcement. He says he advises the library director, security manager, facilities director, and a department head who needs to make decisions on behalf of the staff to know about and respond to an incident. "I'm trying to make it so that people want to feel safe and enjoy their jobs and feel like they have some tools," he added. "That their management has the facts and understands what they're trying to do."

In a recent Library 2.0 webinar, where I was speaking about so-called First Amendment “Auditors” (their own-self created title, don’t forget), I advised libraries to respond to these highly-disruptive people in their facilities or board meetings as follows.

Assess all threats, protests, angry confrontations, or other negative encounters with these individuals or groups, using a team-based approach. You should already have a team in place. Whether you call it a Threat Assessment Team, a Critical Incident Team, or a Safety and Security Team, the name doesn’t matter as much as the members.

You need to be able to gather together your safety and security stakeholders: the Library Director; his and her staff of other leaders; the HR Director/Manager; the Security Director/Manager (if that role exists in your library, system, or district); the Facilities and/or Maintenance Director/Manager; the IT Director/Manager; the library’s legal counsel; the person who provides public outreach or crisis communication; and any other department head, manager, or supervisor who can provide useful insight, experience, or information as to the threat being posed. The knowledge and skills of this group can create a more calming influence on the issue and make safer, legal, and more effective decisions and plans.

You should request a law enforcement response to all incidents from a ranking member of your local agency, preferably a lieutenant or above. The first one or two patrol officers or patrol deputies who respond initially may not know a lot about the tactics of these First Amendment “Auditors,” and may escalate the situation by arguing with them or trying to make an arrest that is not actually legal.

All staff needs awareness-building training and to be reminded to have “polite patience” and the confidence to say and do the right things when confronted by individuals or groups of protesters. These First Amendment “Auditors” (FAAs) will want to argue with them; question their motives and abilities; or debate the law, Code of Conduct, or library use or materials policies. (This is never a good idea, since there is no winning this debate.) All staff need to remember to be neutral while these FAAs are making a video record of their encounters for later posting on social media sites.

Lastly, “Stay Your Course.” Keep on doing the right thing, for your library, your staff, your patrons, and the various diverse communities you serve. One angry person with a sign or a cell phone or a group with a video camera and loud tones shouldn’t be able to speak as though they represent the views of every citizen. Many of your supporters don’t agree with the intimidating and rude tactics of these First Amendment “Auditors.” Continue to be the shepherds for your facilities, your collections, your employees, and your patrons.