Professional Reading – Black Belt Librarians
October 28, 2008
For your professional reading enjoyment . . .
Check out Black Belt Librarians by Warren Graham. Graham appeared at PLA this year, and reviews of his presentation were extremely favorable. Graham has 25 years of professional security experience and has spent the last seventeen years as the Security and Safety Manager for the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
This is a quick and simple guide to security in the library. He makes great points about establishing and enforcing rules, training staff, and documenting issues. Thanks to his martial arts training, he gives excellent advice on addressing behavior problems, how to handle saying “no” to patrons, and ways to approach patrons with a variety of emotional states (anxiety, belligerence, out of control) that are pretty familiar to any library staff member.
Good reading for anyone who has to deal with the public. Also, it’s only about 56 pages long–and the back cover blurbs includes the word “snappy.” Also, “readable”–one of the best attributes in a book. (Carol J.)
Entry Filed under: book chat. Tags: professional reading.
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Carrie Watt | November 14, 2008 at 11:07 am
I saw Graham’s presentation at PLA last year and thought it was one of the best I had been too. He’s very funny, practical and compassionate (yes, compassionate). One of his main points is that we never know what a person has been through, in their day or life for that matter, when they walk through those doors. (Did they just loose their job? Have a death in the family? etc.) I really liked this perspective, because if we look at it in this way it shifts our position from adversary to ‘advocate’. Of course, some people are just grumpy and/or want to take advantage of the system. I’m no Polly Anna. I’m just saying, as a general, perspective, this seems more conducive to working productively with the public.