When a Patron is in Crisis

AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:

• Recognize signs of mental health challenges, trauma responses, and substance use in patron behavior
• Understand how trauma and mental health experiences can influence behavior in library settings
• Identify early warning signs of escalation and respond before situations intensify
• Use trauma-informed communication techniques to de-escalate situations in the moment
• Respond with more confidence using practical language and strategies you can rely on
• Set clear boundaries and recognize when to refer a patron to additional support or resources
• Process difficult interactions in ways that reduce stress, burnout, and second-guessing

You will leave with a clearer understanding of what you are seeing and how to respond in a way that supports both the patron and yourself.

This course is especially helpful for:

• Public library staff working with patrons experiencing mental health or substance use challenges
• School librarians and staff supporting students experiencing emotional or behavioral distress
• Frontline staff who are often the first to respond when a situation begins to escalate
• Supervisors and managers who want more consistent, trauma-informed responses across their team
• Library workers who want practical, real-world strategies for handling complex patron interactions

If that sounds like your role, you will probably see yourself in this course.

If you are someone who:

• Wants to feel more confident handling situations involving mental health or trauma
• Has questioned whether you helped or made a situation worse after the fact
• Wants to recognize warning signs earlier instead of reacting too late
• Is unsure how much to get involved or where your role ends
• Wants practical strategies you can use in real situations, not just theory

This course was built for that kind of real-world pressure.

Live Opening Session

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Course & Workshop Introduction | 2:00–2:15 pm ET

An introduction to the course structure and weekly assignments, an overview of what to expect from the online workshop, and time to complete the course pre-assessment.

Understanding Mental Health and Incorporating Trauma-Informed Library Practices | 2:15–3:30 pm ET

In this live session, as a kick-off to module one, you will gain a non-clinical understanding of trauma and mental health so you can interpret patron behavior with empathy rather than fear or frustration. You’ll learn what trauma is (and isn’t) and about common mental health conditions that you may encounter in public libraries. During a safe and supportive live session, you’ll discuss how mental health and substance use conditions show up in your library spaces, and consider the value of supportive, non-judgmental responses to patrons in distress.

Self-Paced Modules

Module 2: Pre-Escalation Skills

In this asynchronous module, you will learn about the cycle of escalation and what to expect with patrons demonstrating stress responses and behavior related to mental health and substance use. This session focuses on how to prevent individuals from reaching a full escalation or crisis. Using a trauma-informed framework, you will discover how to support, rather than control, a situation while maintaining boundaries.

Module 3: Deescalation Skills & Debriefing

Building upon the skills in the previous section, you will learn response techniques in situations after someone has become escalated. Further, you will also learn how to debrief individually and with co-workers, when to request assistance, and how to utilize available community resources when a situation is beyond the scope of your ability in your role.

Module 4: Burnout and How to Combat it

In this final asynchronous module, you’ll consider your own well-being and the well-being of your co-workers during and after stressful encounters. You’ll learn how to debrief individually and with co-workers as a method to practice the skills you learned in previous modules. You’ll learn how to identify ways in which to set emotional boundaries for yourself in the workplace, including strategies for preventing burnout.

Margaret Ann Paauw, PhD, LCSW, Assistant Professor, Eastern Michigan University

Dr. Margaret Ann Paauw is an Assistant Professor at Eastern Michigan University, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and author. She has practiced social work since 2012, primarily with individuals experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, and serious mental illness. Dr. Paauw previously worked as a library social worker with the Chicago Public Library and was an active member of the Public Library Association’s Library Social Work Taskforce. She facilitated the library social work direct service call, co-authored A Trauma-Informed Framework for Supporting Patrons, and authored Navigating Difficult Situations in Public Libraries. Dr. Paauw has consulted on library social work partnerships and provided trauma-informed and de-escalation trainings to libraries across the country. Her research focuses on the efficacy of library social work partnerships and contributing evidence to support this growing practice.

This course focuses on real situations where patrons are experiencing mental health challenges, trauma responses, or substance use issues, and staff need to make decisions in the moment without clear guidance. You will learn how to recognize what may be driving behavior, understand patterns of escalation, and respond in ways that reduce harm and support the patron.

The course combines a live online session with a 3-module self-paced workshop. Together, these cover trauma-informed approaches, mental health awareness, communication strategies, boundary setting, referrals, and debriefing. You will also explore how repeated exposure to these situations affects staff and learn practical ways to manage stress and avoid burnout.

SESSIONS AND PRICING

This course begins with a live online session. If you can’t attend in real time, you will receive access to the recording.

COURSE FORMAT

This course includes a 1.5-hour live online session plus a 3-module self-paced workshop you can complete on your own schedule.

EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT

Plan 1.5 hours for the live session, plus additional time to complete the self-paced modules and reflection activities. It should take around 16 hours to complete the course, but you are free to work at your own pace.

ON-DEMAND ACCESS

You will have access to the session recording and course materials for six months after the live event.

CREDIT & CERTIFICATE

Complete all components to earn 16 professional development credit hours and a Library Journal certificate of completion.

ACCESSIBILITY

All sessions include auto-captioning. If you require accommodations, please email course-support@libraryjournal.com.

SUPPORT

For technical or course-related support, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com.