Domestic Violence in the Library:
A Safety and Security Issue Facing Patrons and Staff
Part of the Library 2.0 Service, Safety, and Security Series with Dr. Steve Albrecht
OVERVIEW:
There are few more chilling words than, “If I can’t have you, no one else will.” The fear of domestic violence is a constant thing for women in volatile relationships. It is often said that, “a man’s biggest fear is being embarrassed and a woman’s biggest fear is being killed.” According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, over 10 million people per year are threatened by their intimate partners.
Libraries are connected to this disturbing national concern in two ways:
- by patrons, who come to the library seeking help, or who are harassed or threatened there by their current or former partners, or who face the threat of violence when using the library or its parking lot as a drop-off point for child custody visitations;
- and by the presence of so many female employees in the library profession. The more women we have working for us, the higher likelihood we have of one or more of them having a DV issue.
As a former DV investigator in San Diego, Dr. Steve Albrecht is all-too-familiar with this issue as a workplace concern. Most DV victims work and even if they change their contact information and or their addresses, they can still be found at work by these perpetrators.
LEARNING AGENDA:
- How to help staff recognize the signs of DV involving a patron, and how to stay safe and keep appropriate professional boundaries while offering support.
- Creating DV-related policies when responding to DV involving a library employee. These are especially important when an employee has a civil order against a former partner.
- Why Dr. Lenore Walker’s DV Cycle (Tension - Violence - Remorse) is a useful tool in assessing the dangerousness of DV situations.
- How the library can become caught up in DV situations involving patrons or staff as part of the Harasser-Rescuer model.
- Why being choked in a domestic violence relationship is the best predictor of death.
- DV resources to provide to patrons and staff.
DATE: Thursday, October 23, 2025, 2:00 - 3:00 pm US - Eastern Time
COST:
- FREE
TO REGISTER:
- Click HERE to register. The webinar will be recorded, and all registrants will receive a link to the recording.
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.
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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