Middleton-Hope questions CEO over mounting library complaints

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on September 17, 2022.

Herald photo by Al Beeber A shopping cart sits abandoned at the Lethbridge Public Library downtown branch entrance.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

A presentation to the Cultural and Social Standing Policy Committee of city council on Thursday about its plan of service prompted some tough questions about security.

The presentation was made by chair Craig Brown, vice-chair Angela Viola and library CEO Terra Plato.

But councillor John Middleton-Hope, who was sitting in on the session in council chambers, had questions about the number of homeless people hanging around the building.

The councillor told the presenters that the City has gotten numerous complaints from the public and wanted to know how that situation was being addressed.

“You’ve indicated in your proposal that you’re looking for an inclusive and engaging community for everyone. And that’s a very laudable direction to go and certainly a goal to achieve. However, you – I’m sure – have received, like the City has received, numerous complaints of homelessness around your building, the interference of people coming and going to your building. The City certainly has received a substantial number of complaints from citizens who are trying to access the library. I’d like to know what you’re prepared to do to address that issue,” Middleton-Hope said to the three presenters.

Homelessness is a community issue, not a library-created issue and nor is the library in the position to solve it, Plato told him in response to his question.

The library’s role is to address how to respond in an inclusive and welcoming way, the meeting was told.

The library has a code of conduct that governs behaviour inside. Illegal behaviour and behaviour that is disruptive to other patrons is dealt with, the committee heard.

Security guards are in place and security has been increased three times to deal with the number of issues that the library has been experiencing, Plato said.

“Our security team enforces our code of conduct to the ability that they’re able to,” the committee heard.

The library relies on community resources such as the police to help.

“Our enforcement ability is limited; we’re not the police,” the committee heard.

The library has taken steps including decreasing the number of access points to the building and ensuring there is a security station at each access point.

“All of this is to ensure that the library is a safe place for everybody in the community, understanding that we have challenged with those issues as everybody has in the downtown,” said Plato.

Middleton-Hope responded by asking “in terms of managing the complaints, so we should be taking the complaints from the city and just turning them over you to manage?” he asked.

Plato responded by saying the library gets complaints as well and responds to them when they come in.

Brown said the library wants to hear from patrons if they are concerned so they can be spoken to on a one-to-one basis.

Middleton-Hope said “I think listening is important and I think solutions are also important.”

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