Training Staff to Serve Patrons Experiencing Homelessness in the Suburbs

Libraries in suburban communities are seeing a rise in homelessness, and many staff are unprepared to handle the needs of this population. We look at situations that have occurred at Mid-Continent (Missouri) Public Library and steps that we took to train staff in ways to serve the needs of this demographic, from locating social services resources to de-escalation techniques. We discuss easy to implement training and techniques for libraries of all sizes. Register here.

Presenters: Rebecca Richardson, Manager, Boardwalk Branch, Mid-Continent (Missouri) Public Library; Dustin Koopman, Manager, Safety and Security Department, Mid-Continent (Missouri) Public Library.