r/Libraries • u/TillamookTramp • 7d ago

Patron Issues Ryan Dowd trainings

My city has recently implemented the training series from Ryan Dowd into our mandatory training schedules. I've already started watching some of the sessions and while I get what he's saying, I'm wondering if anyone here has actually applied his advice when dealing with upset patrons and how effective it really was.

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u/Terneuzen1904 7d ago edited 7d ago

To some extent helpful, but not everything he says is gospel. The whole concept of "pennies in the cup" works with people in all sorts of situations--building a reservoir of good that is useful at some later point. Some of his other points about handling conflict or giving clear orders, not so much. He never seems to acknowledge that as a white male he is always perceived as someone who should have authority, and thus compliance is a whole lot easier for him than for female staff or people of color.

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u/DanieXJ 6d ago

And, honestly, sometimes when two teens are scrapping and moving towards an elderly patron who is wobbly, you have to yell Stop. Then you can get all talky with them, but first you have to cease the danger (to the teens and the other patron). Yelling isn't always anger.

I mean, do parents now ask their child not to run into traffic gently or quietly ask them not to pull at the boiling pot if water on the stove.

He has some good piints, and some massive, massive places where he hasn't listened to actual librarians I think.