Associate Professor Jane Garner
Libraries are often thought of as safe places. They are spaces where people come to learn, access information, connect with others, or simply spend time without needing to buy anything. Yet over the past several years, concerns have been growing within the library profession about the safety of library workers themselves.
Conversations at conferences, discussions on professional forums, and reports from library managers have pointed to an increase in challenging behaviours directed towards staff. While these stories were becoming increasingly common, there was very little Australian evidence available to help us understand the scale of the problem or how libraries might respond effectively. This gap led to the development of a national research project examining workplace violence and aggression in Australian public and academic libraries.
Funded by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), the Australian Public Library Alliance (APLA) and the Council of Australasian University Librarians (CAUL), the project seeks to understand not only how often aggression occurs in libraries, but also how it affects staff, organisations and the long-term sustainability of the profession.
More than 1,500 library workers have participated, including customer service staff, managers, CEOs and University Librarians from across Australia. Participants have come from metropolitan, regional, rural and remote communities, representing both public and academic libraries.
Early analysis of responses from front-line staff indicates that experiences of violence and aggression are widespread rather than exceptional. More than three-quarters of respondents reported either experiencing or witnessing aggression in their workplace. Among public library workers, that figure rises to almost 90 per cent.
Respondents frequently described being yelled and sworn at, threatened or subjected to intimidating behaviour. While verbal aggression was the most commonly reported experience, it was far from the only one. Many participants also reported harassment, ongoing intimidation, and incidents involving physical aggression. Some described being spat at, pushed, shaken, struck, or injured by objects thrown at them. In some cases, medical treatment was required following an incident.
The findings also provide a glimpse into the complex social environments in which library staff work. Participants described regularly supporting people experiencing mental ill-health, homelessness, alcohol and other drug issues, family violence, and acute social disadvantage. They spoke about mediating disputes between library users, responding to behavioural crises, and managing situations that often fall well beyond what many people might traditionally associate with library work.
This complexity creates a difficult balancing act. Library workers are expected to be welcoming and supportive, while at the same time maintaining safe environments for staff and visitors. Many respondents described the challenge of responding compassionately to people in distress while also managing behaviour that can be threatening, disruptive, or unsafe.
One of the strongest themes emerging from the data is the emotional impact of this work. Many participants reported feeling unsafe at work. Others said they felt uneasy travelling to and from work or when wearing clothing or identification that linked them to their workplace. Experiences consistent with compassion fatigue were also common. Staff described feeling emotionally drained by the cumulative effect of repeated exposure to distressing situations and difficult interactions. Almost 40 per cent of customer service staff respondents reported having considered leaving library work because of concerns about safety. Many indicated they were actively exploring employment outside the sector for this reason.
Participants also shared ideas about what helps create safer workplaces. Strong leadership was frequently identified as important. So too were supportive colleagues, clear organisational expectations, effective communication during incidents, and access to meaningful training that prepares staff for the realities of their work. Libraries need approaches that combine trauma-informed practice with clear behavioural boundaries and consistent responses to unacceptable conduct. Safe building design, adequate staffing levels, and access to wellbeing support following difficult incidents were also recurring themes throughout the responses.
The project is still ongoing, and a substantial amount of data remains to be analysed. What is already clear is that the experiences being described by library workers reflect a broader pattern that is being observed across different library types and geographic locations. This research is creating an evidence base that can inform future conversations about staff wellbeing, workplace safety, professional practice, and the future of library work in Australia. ALIA has released a press report on the project: https://alia.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zNjU2NzY2JnA9MSZ1PTU1MzQ1NjM3OSZsaT00MzM4ODk4MQ/index.html
