[Publib] Library Closing for "after school hours"

[James Casey]

We also have a security guard on duty during late afternoon to closing
at 9 PM.  However, these guards are not empowered with the same leverage
as police officers to question, detain and discipline youngsters.  

A public library facility is likely to be among the busiest places in
any municipality.  Library Board Members, County commissioners, City
Council Members, and Police Chiefs would likely be very concerned if the
Library were to be perceived as "unsafe" -- especially at election time.
Given that police on duty are always likely to be understaffed, having
procedures and policies in place along with coordinated approaches to
problems can help to save time for the police and your own staff.  

Something as simple as putting up a "No Loitering" sign could give the
police leverage to proceed against kids who just "hang out" in crowds
near the entrance to a public library and intimidate patrons.  

An ounce of cooperation and consultation with police can realize a ton
of cure.

James B. Casey -- my own views
Director of the Oak Lawn Public Library
ALA Council Member (running for re-election)



-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of myp_chan at yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 9:41 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Publib] Library Closing for "after school hours"

--- James Casey <jcasey at oaklawnlibrary.org> wrote:
> Although Oak Lawn is a village of 55,000, I have
> also heard the refrain from staff and patrons
"parents don't care and the police put these
> problems low on their list of priorities."  Those of
> us who are Library administrators need to try to
convince the police to move the priority higher up. 

I work in a city of 76,000 and the library is next
door to the high school. We certainly get very busy
during after-school hours, and it can get very rowdy
and even disruptive. But we have a security guard who
arrives at around 2:30 every day and stays until we
close at 9pm. Did the library in Maplewood have a
security guard? From the article it doesn't sound like
it, but I would think that's an obvious way to handle
this type of problem. I know in my city the police
force is understaffed and probably couldn't be
pressured to make the library a priority if they
wanted to.

Closing the library so students won't come in sounds
like discrimination to me. Alienating an entire age
group doesn't bode well for the future when those kids
become taxpayers and voters. Will they be supportive
of the library then? I sure wouldn't. 

Linda

 

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