UWM Music Library Student Employee Guide: Music Library SpecificSecurity Issues

Music & Curriculum are unique because, while we serve two fairly distinct populations that we get to know pretty well, our space is not restricted to those people. The Digital Humanities Lab has a wide variety of visitors - many are not UWM affiliates. The open study space and the quiet area set off behind the glass also attract people who are not using our materials, but looking for a place to study.

There is a panic button that will call the campus police on the side of the circulation desk. It looks like a door bell.

If you are really afraid of someone, or there is an emergency that requires an immediate police response, push it.

If you simply need some back up to ask someone to be quiet, or are uncertain if the police need to be called - call 4132 and ask for security to be sent up and let them decide.

Things to keep in mind:

• This is not a silent study area. If someone complains about noise, please gently explain this. We are a working reference area, we take phone calls, we answer questions, we run a circulation desk. The area behind the glass on the Music side of the floor is 'quiet study' and the intention is that people work independently. Groups should be at the tables on the other side of the glass. If they need silent study, they should go to the Lower Level East or to the 3rd floor West. If however, there is excess noise, please talk to those responsible. If you feel uncomfortable doing so, call security (4132) and ask them to do it.
• We are responsible for the security of people during fire/tornado drills and real alarms. There is a high-viz vest on the coat rack that you should put on if the alarms go off.
  • For fire alarms, direct people to go out the nearest exit - the doors are alarmed and will make a sound. That's good. 
    • Stick your head into the bridge and tell the people sitting there that they should go out the doors nearest them - there are fire exits in the bridge.
    • If there is a class in E-280 or E-281, go in and tell them to leave through the fire exit on that side of the floor (presumably, if there is an event in the DH Lab, the Library staff in attendance will usher people out the door on that side of the floor).
    • Walk around outside of the study carrels on the Curriculum side and tell people that this includes them.
  • For tornado alarms, grab the keys and open E-281 and herd people in there. Stick your head into the bridge and get the people there to come with you to E-281. They should not stay in the bridge. It is entirely glass. If there's a real tornado in the area, they do NOT want to be out there! They also should not go out the fire exits. They do not want to be outside during a tornado!

DO NOT LET ANYONE GO ACROSS THE BRIDGE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE!

By the same token, do not put your own life in danger. If someone insists on staying put or going across the bridge, do not force the issue to the point where they may become aggressive with you, or you are put in harms way following them across the bridge during a tornado warning/watch to make them turn back.

Tell people to leave their stuff behind, not to take the time to pack up - they can grab their laptop (leaving behind the charger, they can always buy another) or purse, but they need to get out as quickly as possible. In the case of a drill, only library staff are allowed back in at first, so their stuff will be safe until they can get back.   

• One way to keep everyone safe is to remind our users that there are people working here. To that end, get up and go around the floor at least once an hour during your shift - check for things on the reshelve shelves, in the bins, on table tops, straighten shelves, etc. If users see us outside of the circulation desk area, they're more likely to come and ask questions and come to us if there is a problem.
• The turntables & cassette/CD players on the floor sometimes get messed with. Having staff circulation frequently discourages those who might be thinking about it.
• The door alarms most frequently go off because someone either leaned against it or actually decided to go out the door. Call 4132 and have them alert security. If you know for sure someone went out the door, DO NOT FOLLOW THEM, let the folks who answer at 4132 know and someone will try to get outside to see where they went. But the most frequent cause is someone just leaning on the door without thinking about the fact that it is alarmed. Security will turn the alarm off and come up and reset the door. We can't do that, only security can.