Library seeking outreach and crisis intervention positions

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on September 29, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The Lethbridge Public Library wants to hire a full-time crisis intervention worker and a person to do full-time outreach, CEO Terra Plato told the Economic Standing Policy committee meeting of Lethbridge city council on Wednesday.

The committee consists of the mayor and all council members. Councillor Rajko Dodic was absent.

The cost for the crisis intervention worker would be $87,000 in 2023, $88,400 in 2024, $90,100 in 2025 and $91,900 in 2026.

The position, Plato stated in her presentation, would have three impacts;

1) It would increase responsiveness to community concerns about safety in the facility;

2) It would enhance the quality of services and responses to crisis incidents for marginalized and vulnerable positions; and

3) It would grow the availability and efficiency of mental health and addictions referrals in the city.

The education and employment outreach position would cost $99,600 in 2024, $101,600 in ’25 and $103,500 in ’26, it was stated in the budget item.

The library says the anticipated impacts of this position would be:

1) Improved responsiveness to community needs;

2) Increased availability of library services and resources in the community; and

3) enhance customer satisfaction through accessibility to library services.

Plato told the SPC the library’s mission is to be “a welcoming, inclusive space that connects and strengthens community through equitable access to learning and leisure.”

“The role that the public library has in today’s community is broader and more important than ever before. The services the library provides revolves not just around stacks of books” but it’s an essential contributor to social connections, building resiliency, education, literacy, play, recreation and other facets that build a strong community, she said.

She told the SPC that the 2022 community survey showed 88 per cent of citizens surveyed were satisfied with the library, 53 per cent of those indicating they were very satisfied with library services.

Councillor John Middleton-Hope pointed out to Plato that a poll in the Lethbridge Herald in September showed 86 per cent of respondents said there needed to be better security at the library.

The councillor also told Plato, that contrary to comments made on social media, not once has he called for the resignation of anyone at the library. He also lauded her for addressing security issues at the public facility.

Plato said the board is responsible for providing a strategic direction for the library and developing a budget that supports that direction.

“Public libraries are naturally a place that many people in the community spend time. People experiencing addictions, homelessness and mental health crises often see the library as a safe space to be when there’s nowhere else to go.

“Library staff are not traditionally trained to handle many of the complex situations that may arise with someone in crisis. And public libraries are increasingly creating positions like this one to better serve the needs of the population and support the library staff in making the library a safe space for everyone,” Plato said about the first position being requested.

“This initiative proposes to create an ongoing crisis intervention worker position at the library, she added.

Of the second position, Plato said “the services that public libraries provide in their communities contribute to economic growth through the provision of business and entrepreneurial supports, accessible education at all stages of life and job seeking and skill development, she said.

“Often the availability of these services and easy access is hindered by lack of awareness and staff being tied to physical service points. The ability to get outside the library’s walls shouldn’t” impact those who don’t know about or can’t access library services, she said.

“Many public libraries employ an outreach position to expand library services outside of the library’s walls and reach under-served populations,” Plato said.

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