Defusing and Preventing Behavioural Escalation in Libraries and Beyond: The Role of Three Core Human Needs

Why do situations escalate, and what can we do to stop them before they spiral? In this keynote session, we will explore three core human needs that influence and heighten conflict across settings, from libraries to community spaces and beyond. You’ll learn how these unmet needs can fuel tension, and how small, intentional actions and statements can support those needs to prevent or de-escalate conflict when it occurs. Grounded in research and illustrated with real-world examples, this presentation offers practical tools you can apply immediately to reduce and prevent escalation in your daily interactions with visitors, colleagues, and others.

Author Bio

Beth Wahler, PhD, MSW is founder and principal consultant at Beth Wahler Consulting, LLC. She is an internationally-recognized consultant, trainer, and researcher whose primary focus is trauma-informed librarianship, library strategies for addressing visitors’ social service-related needs, supporting library staff with serving high-needs visitors and reducing work-related stress/trauma, and various kinds of collaborations, services, and programs to meet visitor, staff, or community needs. She has worked with a wide variety of libraries internationally- urban, suburban, and rural- as well as large library systems and state library associations to provide personalised training opportunities, conduct needs assessments, evaluate library programs/services, and/or develop individualised plans to help meet the needs of their visitor populations and staff. She has also published and presented internationally on library visitor and staff needs, trauma-informed librarianship, and library/social work collaborations. Her book, “Creating a Person-Centered Library: Best Practices for Supporting High-Needs Patrons,” focuses on strategies for supporting visitors with complex needs while simultaneously supporting library staff. She also co-hosts the podcast, Surviving the Stacks, aimed at providing support to library staff across the globe.