Defusing the angry patron : a how-to-do-it manual for librarians

Summary

How do libraries deal with angry comments on their websites, blogs, or social networks? Does having a security staff actually help defuse angry users? How can library staff members best respond to frustrated users who get angry in a chat reference setting?

Here, renowned library consultant Rhea Rubin deals with these questions and more. New technologies for service delivery have ushered in new venues for frustration. To help librarians know how to react in the face of patron anger, Rubin adds five new coping strategies to the 20 basic ones she introduced in the first edition. All of them have been updated them in light of key changes, including virtual reference service and the Web 2.0 phenomenon. A whole new chapter addresses anger in the digital landscape.

This very practical how-to shows how effective staff training and intentional behaviors can positively affect patron behavior, minimize altercations, and ease the stress of public services staff. Library staff members looking for effective ways to prevent and handle anger-driven confrontations with their patrons will find Rubin's revised text an exceptionally useful, applicable, and enlightening guide.