THUNDER BAY — Two months after the Brodie Resource Library was shut down due to a series of security incidents, the renovated branch has reopened with a number of safety-related changes.
One of those changes is the presence of a full-time security guard, something the library has already put in place at the Waverley branch.
Having visible security guards on location will make a big difference all around, said library CEO Richard Togman. And he'll be looking for funding to keep security guards in place at both branches in 2026.
“It's something that we took it on ourselves to pilot this summer, essentially, and we'll be piloting through the fall," said Togman. "But we know we actually don't have core operational funding for the city to pay two full-time security guards, one at each branch. So it's something that we're going to be going to council for our operating budget in the new year.
“Hopefully with data, by that point we'll have about four to six months of data to really show the difference between a branch with security and without, what that means for the safety of the community, and hoping to see city council invest in the same type of security infrastructure like they provide for themselves at City Hall,” he said.
The Brodie Resource Library closed on June 16 and reopened on Tuesday.
The closure was made in the hope of facilitating significant renovations along with the implementation of new safety and security measures.
“We're really proud of the work we did over the summer,” said Togman.
“It's an impressive thing to say that we were on time and actually under budget. That was a nice win for the library system,” he added.
Togman said a lot of work was put into reorganizing the branch so that it's safer and better accommodates the different needs of different library users.
Many of the changes ultimately came down to safety, Togman said.
“We had obviously a couple of unfortunate safety incidents here at Brodie Library, just before we closed, and so that was a big part of the focus of the restructuring.
“We've been able to hire security guards, so that's a big change for the library system both at Waverley and at Brodie. During the time at Waverley when the security guards were in place, we did see a pretty dramatic decrease in the number of incidents. We're really excited for the Brodie reopening and to provide that safe, welcoming space for the south side,” he said.
Togman said in the first half of 2025, the libraries had been seeing the number of incidents rise.
“It's something that we've been working through for a while. The library system has never really been equipped to deal with serious mental health issues, issues of addiction, issues of homelessness.
“That wasn't what we were originally built for, but unfortunately, it's something that the community has demanded of us that as the issues have escalated. A lot of people were coming in looking for a safe, warm space, and the issues on the streets spilled over into the branches.
“It was part of the reason for the rethink, kind of system-wide, but especially at Brodie, which unfortunately had been experiencing these issues more than some of our other branches.”
Aside from security-related changes, facilities have moved around at Brodie based on the desire to create spaces for busier and for quieter activities.
“First off, we put all of our main, more active, a little bit louder stuff on the main floor. We've got the Indigenous knowledge centre, where we have a lot of the programming, we've got our main fiction book collection, the children's area that's been revitalized, that's all on the main floor right now to make it easy and accessible.
“Especially for families that are coming in. Families (where) a parent may be looking for a book at the same time as they're bringing their six-year-old. Well, now they can do it all on the same floor,” he said.
The lower level has been converted to a specialized research area for people who need more of a quiet space.
The work also included planned renovations to upgrade the aging facility, which Togman previously said could happen sooner because of the closure.
