Difficult Discussions with Patrons:
Using Jefferson Fisher’s Book The Next Conversation
Part of the Library 2.0 Service, Safety, and Security Series with Dr. Steve Albrecht
OVERVIEW:
Nobody likes to hear bad news; most people hate being told what to do. How we tell people what they can and can’t do in the library has a huge impact on whether they comply or not. Some of our patrons are influenced by their own sense of self-importance, caught up in the distraction of their personal problems, busy with their phones, and not the best listeners. It can be hard for them to hear us, and even harder for them to accept why we ask them to follow our library rules.
Jefferson Fisher is an attorney and a popular contributor on social media to the fine art of listening and talking with skill. His book, The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More (TarcherPerigee, 2025), can help us navigate tough talks with patrons (and how about with our employees, as well?).
In past webinars for Library 2.0, Steve Albrecht has covered the books Crucial Conversations and Verbal Judo. He will follow the same format, offering a “webinar book report” on what to say, to get better cooperation, and what not to say, to avoid continuing confrontations.
LEARNING AGENDA:
- How to use specific conversational tools that give all staff control, confidence, and better connections with patrons.
- Setting boundaries, building “frames,” addressing defensiveness, and speaking assertively, rather than defensively.
- How to give bad news to patrons.
DATE: Thursday, October 9, 2025, 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:
Use the payment box above 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.If you need to be invoiced or pay by check, if you have any trouble registering for a webinar, or if you have any questions, please email admin@library20.com.
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.
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