Patron Service Challenges:
Using Roleplay Scenarios to Build Better Responses
Part of the Library 2.0 Service, Safety, and Security Series with Dr. Steve Albrecht
OVERVIEW:
Dealing with challenging patrons in the library workspace often varies along two points: the nature of the encounter with the patron, and the communication and de-escalation skills of the library staff member handling the situation. Experience matters, and so does having several tools in our tool kit. Saying “Calm down!” to someone who is not calm never works and failing to set behavioral boundaries with certain patrons just leads to more problems then and upon their next return to the library.
A useful way to build confidence with staff and give them what they need to think fast and on their feet is by using roleplay scenarios, done in small groups, often as part of a staff meeting exercise. This webinar provides 25 different roleplay scenarios (also included as a PDF handout with the slides) developed by librarians from real-time situations, in libraries across the country, and curated by Dr. Steve Albrecht, as part of his training workshops.
In this program, Steve will discuss each patron behavior scenario and give some tips on how to manage it. Back at the library, staff members can each play the part of either the patron or the employee, act out the issues at hand, use the best communication, de-escalation, and compliance tools, and then get feedback from their peers.
This scenario collection can be customized and finetuned to match the work culture and the community of patrons the library serves. Plus, they can be used during staff meetings throughout the year, as reminders and for new employees. Working in small groups minimizes the impact of peer pressure and makes it easier for employees to feel more confident once they face the real issues on the library floor.
LEARNING AGENDA:
- Discuss the roleplay process in the staff meeting environment and how to keep staff in their comfort zones as either extroverts or introverts.
- Review 25 different patron behavior situations, develop potential answers, and create workable realistic solutions.
- Discuss the challenges faced when patrons argue, disagree with rules, policies, and the Code of Conduct, and develop methods to get to a “Negotiated Behavioral Agreement.”
- The 25 scenarios include patrons angry about how they were treated; teenage patrons; inappropriate Internet use; bullying patrons; children left alone; patrons with mental health issues; covert panhandling; staring, vaping, and sleeping.
DATE: Thursday, February 26, 2026, 2:00 - 3:00 pm US - Eastern Time
COST:
- $99/person - includes live attendance and any-time access to the recording and the presentation slides and receiving a participation certificate.
- To arrange group discounts (see below), to submit a purchase order, or for any registration difficulties or questions, email admin@library20.com.
TO REGISTER:
Click HERE to register and pay. You can pay by credit card. You will receive an email within a day with information on how to attend the webinar live and how you can access the permanent webinar recording. If you are paying for someone else to attend, you'll be prompted to send an email to admin@library20.com with the name and email address of the actual attendee.
NOTE: Please check your spam folder if you don't receive your confirmation email within a day.
SPECIAL GROUP RATES (email admin@library20.com to arrange):
- Multiple individual log-ins and access from the same organization paid together: $75 each for 3+ registrations, $65 each for 5+ registrations. Unlimited and non-expiring access for those log-ins.
- The ability to show the webinar (live or recorded) to a group located in the same physical location or in the same virtual meeting from one log-in: $299.
- Large-scale institutional access for viewing with individual login capability: $499 (hosted either at Library 2.0 or in Niche Academy). Unlimited and non-expiring access for those log-ins.
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.
He has written 27 books, including: Library Security: Better Communication, Safer Facilities (ALA, 2015); The Safe Library: Keeping Users, Staff, and Collections Secure (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023); The Library Leader’s Guide to Human Resources: Keeping it Real, Legal, and Ethical (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2025); and The Library Leader's Guide to Employee Coaching: Building a Performance Culture One Meeting at a Time (Rowman & Littlefield, June 2026).
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 lives in Springfield, Missouri, with seven 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.
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS:
February 12, 2026
February 13, 2026
February 19, 2026
February 20, 2026
February 27, 2026
Starts March 4, 2026
