Dates (Times are US Central):
November 13, 10 AM – 2 PM CST
November 14, 9 AM – 2 PM CST
Location: Online
Quick Links:
Keynote Speaker: Beth Wahler, PhD, MSW
Defusing and Preventing Behavioral 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 contribute to behavioral challenges, 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 that can immediately be applied to reduce and prevent escalation in daily interactions with patrons, colleagues, and others.
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Beth Wahler, PhD, MSW is founder and principal consultant at Beth Wahler Consulting, LLC and affiliated research faculty and previous director of the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte. Dr. Wahler is a social work consultant, researcher, and experienced administrator whose primary focus is trauma-informed librarianship, library strategies for addressing patrons’ or community psychosocial needs, supporting library staff with serving high-needs patrons and reducing work-related stress/trauma, and various kinds of collaborations, services, and programs to meet patron, staff, or community needs. She has worked with multiple types of libraries internationally and in all sizes of communities – urban, suburban, and rural – as well as large library systems and state library associations to provide personalized training opportunities, conduct needs assessments, and develop individualized plans to help meet the needs of their patron populations and staff. Her book, Creating a Person-Centered Library: Best Practices for Supporting High-Needs Patrons, focuses on strategies for supporting patrons with psychosocial 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.