Introduction

Kind communication, closely linked to concepts of civility and non-violent communication, is a way of interacting with others that emphasises respect, compassion and empathy. It's not just about what is said, but also how it's said. It's essential in any workplace, but it's vital in libraries. In a library, staff work together to help a wide range of people and manage lots of information. Talking to each other and the people who come into the library in a kind way makes the library a better place to work and visit.

Library staff often have to work as a team, help people who come in and keep learning new things. All this depends a lot on how well they communicate. Communication can help staff in different parts of the library work better together, make the library more friendly and create a welcoming environment.

In this chapter, we will look at why kind communication is so important in libraries. We’ll focus on non-violent communication as a structured way of being kind. We’ll see how it can make the library a better place to work and make the people who visit it happier. We’ll also share some good ways for library staff to communicate kindly daily. We aim to help everyone in the library – staff and visitors – feel more welcome and happy. This chapter is here to help library workers and leaders understand how to make their library a place where kindness is a normal part of everyday life.