This study examines the safety experiences and concerns of visitors and personnel in a library setting. The analysis is based on survey responses, interviews, and incidents recorded in a library in Stockholm, Sweden. The findings highlight situations that make staff feel unsafe, such as dealing with visitors under the influence of drugs or feeling intimidated by groups of young individuals. Visitors report witnessing public disturbances, disorderly conduct, and aggression. The study emphasizes the importance of the library environment in ensuring safety for both visitors and staff, and contributes to the international literature on library safety in a Nordic European context.

Image courtesy of interviewee. December 18, 2023