Empty alcohol containers, needles found in new library washrooms

There were empty alcohol containers or needles found in the washrooms at the Peterborough Public Library on three occasions within the first 10 days of re-opening after the renovation, says a new city staff report - and the CEO of the library says it’s time to hire security guards.

Library CEO Jennifer Jones wrote in a report to library board members that she would like them to consider hiring two security guards, to work evenings and weekends, as a pilot project for 2018.

Since city council decided not to fund this idea at budget time, Jones writes that the board might want to consider paying for two guards out of the board’s reserves to cover the rest of this year, at a cost of roughly $26,208.

The idea is to have security guards in the library on evenings and weekends only, Jones writes, because that’s when there are fewer full-time staff and supervisors in the library.

City council had voted at budget time in November to allow the new library to reopen, after its $12-million renovation, to see whether it really needs security guards.

After a radical interior redesign, the building now has an open concept with fewer dark corners; council thought perhaps that alone would reduce the number of times city police would be called to the library.

But Jones writes that staff has reported increasing incidents of misbehaviour, violence and disrespect at the library over the years.

Meanwhile that type of behaviour dropped dramatically during the 18 months the library was located in Peterborough Square during renovations to the main branch on Aylmer St., Jones writes – likely thanks to the security guards at the mall.

There were 20 reported “incidents” in 2017, Jones writes – that’s while the library was located at the mall. Yet in the first 10 days of the newly re-opened library, she continues, there were three incidents.

“The time at the Square provided a respite, but as soon as we returned to our Aylmer St. location certain old habits were quick to resurface – notably needles and empty alcohol containers being found in the washrooms,” Jones writes.

When city council turned down the funding request in November, the cost for part-time security guards at the library was estimated at $21,000.

When the library board met in early January, it voted to have Jones revise the cost to consider the minimum wage increase that took effect on Jan. 1; the board wanted to have an accurate cost estimate before voting on whether to hire security guards.

“We do not wish for security services to deter patrons from coming to the library, but we would like to ensure that staff and patrons feel safe and are safe when they are in our building,” Jones writes in her report.

“Staff feel that a security guard would act as a deterrent for disruptive, violent behaviour, as well as discourage vandalism and theft.”

The board meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the library and the matter is on the agenda for discussion.