Dr. Steve Albrecht, author of Library Security, is retired from the San Diego police department and manages a training, coaching, and management consulting firm.
A Q&A with former police officer Steve Albrecht on library security.
LJ: You say librarians should never rationalize irrational behavior. How can we overcome this? SA: It’s easy to rationalize questionable or problematic behavior. We want to believe the best in people, even when evidence shows us otherwise. I often see a spectrum response. Some older, more world-weary employees don’t feel like anything can be done, so they don’t bother to report. (If previous management was unresponsive or apathetic, now they are, too). Newer employees may be hesitant to report because they are either unsure of whom to tell, afraid they’ll be blamed for not handling it correctly, or don’t want to be labeled as a tattle-tale. All employees need to hear, “If it bothers you and it hurts our business, tell us. We won’t blame the messenger.”