[Publib] policy on fights

[Allison Angell]

   Well, presumably it halves the chances of one of the opponents pulling out a weapon and involving the staff member in a fight.  Also, seeing a co-worker get ambushed is quite different from coming across a fight between two people who might be equally at fault in the fight.
   Allison Angell, Benicia (Calif.) Public Library
   allison_angell at yahoo.com 

--- On Mon, 11/9/09, fred.judi at myfairpoint.net <fred.judi at myfairpoint.net> wrote:

From: fred.judi at myfairpoint.net <fred.judi at myfairpoint.net>
Subject: Re: [Publib] policy on fights
To: "Sharon Foster" <fostersm1 at gmail.com>
Cc: "Publib" <publib at webjunction.org>
Date: Monday, November 9, 2009, 4:45 PM

Why is it OK to intervene to protect a staff member but not OK to intervene to protect a patron?

Judi Crowley
Retired

Quoting Sharon Foster <fostersm1 at gmail.com>:
> If one of my co-workers were being attacked, I think all of us would
> unhesitatingly grab the attacker and force him (or her) to the ground,
> and keep him there until the police arrived. (The police are right
> across the street)
> 
> Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
> Technology Librarian
> http://firstgentrekkie.blogspot.com/
> "Have you tried switching it off and on again?"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 6:18 PM, Audrey DeVillier
> <adevilli at state.lib.la.us> wrote:
> > I was just now rudely interrupted from reading these very interesting
> > missives on fighting in the library.... ironically by a deaf and mentally
> > unbalanced patron violently attacking our reference librarian.  She was
> > completely blindsided and never saw it coming.... the patron lept across
> > her desk, grabbed her by the hair and yanked her down to the floor where
> > she was pummelled relentlessly while other patrons either fled the area or
> > just stood around gawking and not doing anything. >
> > Police were called, but you can bet your boots we intervened to protect one
> > of our own.  Charges were pressed.  I'll have to give you an update on any
> > policy changes after the post-mortem/debriefing/staff meeting tomorrow. >
> > We've been very lucky not to have dealt with the issue of violence in the
> > workplace thus far.  I've taken every precaution not to put them in such a
> > situation, but I'd like to think that my coworkers wouldn't just call
> > police and then just watch my crazy stalker-ex abuse me at my place of
> > employment, restraining order be damned. >
> > So I guess my new question to the collective brain is.... Do you intervene
> > when a STAFF MEMBER is attacked?  This was just random
> > violence--unprovoked--on a staff member at her desk by a random patron. > What's the protocol then?
> >
> > Audrey Jo
> >
> > Audrey Jo DeVillier
> > Head, ILL/Technical Services
> > Iberville Parish Library
> > 24605  J. Gerald Berret Blvd. > Plaquemine, LA  70765-0736
> > (225) 687-2520
> >
> > People become librarians because they know too much.  Their knowledge
> > extends beyond mere categories.  They cannot be confined to disciplines. > Librarians are all-knowing and all-seeing.  They bring order to chaos. > They bring wisdom and culture to the masses.  They preserve every aspect of
> > human knowledge.  Librarians rule.  And they will kick the crap out of
> > anyone who says otherwise.        ---- Erica Olsen, Librarian Avengers
> blog
> >  http://librarianavengers.org/worship-2
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> 
> 
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