[Publib] Library Closing for "after school hours"

[Dale McNeill]

James makes good points below. Please, though, do check with your library's
cousel before posting signs about loitering.  The general idea is a good
one; however, in many parts of the U.S. it is *not* an offense to "loiter".


This is a an important and interesting conversation.

Regards,

Dale

On 1/3/07, James Casey <jcasey at oaklawnlibrary.org> wrote:
>
> 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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