THUNDER BAY — "Nobody goes to work in the morning expecting to be violently assaulted," said Thunder Bay Public Library CEO Richard Togman.
He said a female staff member at the Brodie Street branch was left badly shaken after an incident around closing time Tuesday.
The library was already in the process of completing a safety review, Togman told Newswatch, but this will accelerate the process. And the library will pursue funding to enhance security.
The staff member was allegedly assaulted by a woman who was previously banned from the premises under a legal "no trespassing" order.
"This incident is really severe, and definitely one of the more serious ones that have happened in the last few years," Togman said Wednesday.
He said the staff member sought medical attention and has been given time off to recover at home.
The Brodie branch was kept closed Wednesday to allow staff to be debriefed.
Togman said Thunder Bay Police will be contacted, and the library will explore options for dealing with the violation of the no trespassing order.
"We would definitely expect a full police response to this and an investigation, and if the staff member does choose to press charges, we'll be fully supportive as an institution."
The library has seen a worrisome rise in what he described as "safety incidents" across the library system this year, said Togman, in particular at the two downtown branches.
There were 75 instances in the first quarter of the year alone, a 38 per cent increase from the same quarter last year.
Togman said there was a total of 519 incidents last year, more than twice the 10-year average.
He also cited statistics showing violent incidents in the Thunder Bay Public Library system are happening at more than three times the rate the Toronto library system is experiencing.
In 2022, library launched a new approach to security by appointing two "community facilitators" to work with marginalized clients, but Togman said it's clear that more security is needed.
"We've been able, in the past, to de-escalate and move people out of harm's way, both for patrons and staff. That worked for awhile, and continues to work in a certain capacity, but it's gotten to the point where they're kind of overwhelmed."
Togman said library staff are not trained as security experts or mental health professionals, and are being placed at risk every day.
The library will be approaching city council about the issue in the near future.
"We are hoping to see a commitment from the city to make sure that all of our branches are safe and secure for the families of Thunder Bay," Togman said.
He added that he expects the situation to get even worse due to the closure of the safe consumption site on Simpson Street and the pending demolition of Victoriaville.
CUPE local 3120, which represents library workers, also weighed in, saying "We feel strongly that additional measures are required to improve the safety and security at library branches. We hope the City of Thunder Bay recognizes the importance of this issue and agrees to contribute the additional funding needed."
