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Red Deer public libraries see rise in disruptive behaviour

There has been a gradual rise in public disturbances at Red Deer libraries
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(Advocate file photo).

The Red Deer Public Library is seeing more public disturbances —  but not the violence that is reportedly increasing at some other libraries across Canada. 

While "some tension exists between actual safety versus the feeling of being safe," library chief executive officer Shelley Ross said on Thursday that Red Deer libraries are not experiencing the rise in violent incidents that the CBC has reported are happening at libraries in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.

The Red Deer Public Library is seeing a rise in disruptive behaviour, however, according to its security incident reports.

Public disturbances made up 13 per cent of the security incidents recorded in the first seven and a half months of 2024. This compares to just 2.6 per cent of all reported incidents in all of 2023. Public disturbances were 2.9 per cent in 2022 and 4.3 per cent in 2019. (The pandemic years 2020-2021 were anomalies because of shut-downs and so were not included in the data for this article).

While "library staff are very good at managing behaviours and setting expectations" and are well supported by the RCMP and other agencies, Ross said patrons who see people in distress "cannot help but feel uncomfortable," whether outbursts are from children, adults or seniors.

She feels more supports are needed, from stable housing and access to medical care, for Red Deerians with mental health challenges. These "tie into many of the categories of incidents we track," said Ross.

She added library staff try to give patrons who are experiencing a mental health crisis a safe environment during their episode, and then relying on non-emergency crisis teams, or 911 to intervene when more severe disturbances cause other patrons distress.

Substance use at the library made up 12.2. per cent of the total 123 security incidents recorded from Jan. 1 to Aug. 18 in 2024. This compares to 7.8 per cent of 153 incidents recorded in all 12 months of 2023. (Substance use was 9.6 per cent in 2022 and 10.6 per cent in 2019).

"Substance use in the library is prohibited but we see about equal parts alcohol versus other drug use," said Ross. She added there is some tolerance shown to impaired people who enter the library and do not cause a disturbance.

"If people use substances in the library, or drink throughout the day and start to interfere with other patrons' enjoyment of the library they will be banned, sometimes with increasing severity with subsequent use."

Ross expressed a concern about the decrease in supervised consumption availability in the city. This is where people with addictions can use drugs under supervision, in case they overdose. Ross is concerned that the library could become "a secondary spot where your life might be saved if something goes wrong, or where you might not freeze if you fall asleep."

The library's security incident reports cover all three Red Deer branches, as well as the mini-library at the Collicutt Centre. Most of the reported incidents occurred at the downtown and Dawe branches. Ross said adult-related incidents mostly happen downtown and youth-related ones at the Dawe.

Only 2.4 per cent of the incidents reported so far in 2024 were physical aggression. This made up 3.3 per cent of reported incidents in all of 2023. (It was 1.9 per cent in 2022, and wasn't even a measured category in 2019).

So far this year, there were 6.8 per cent of recorded incidents were verbal aggression, compared to 7.8 per cent in 2023. (This number seems to fluctuate as it was 2.9 per cent of incidents recorded for 2022 and 12.8 per cent in 2019).  

Ross said during her time at the library there have been no violent incidents between library staff and patrons. Most verbally aggressive incidents tend to be between commissionaires and patrons being asked to leave for various reasons.

Sometimes disagreements arise between patrons — "equal parts school kids acting their age and adult altercations that often started elsewhere."

Regarding finding sleepers in the library: Ross said it's OK to fall asleep over a textbook, but not to lie stretched out over the floor or furniture. "You will be roused" as it's hard to distinguish between a deep sleep and a health crisis. Also, other patrons can feel uncomfortable when they think the library is being used as a daytime shelter, she added.

The Red Deer Public Library has one of the only public washrooms available downtown, so "we have ...people washing, taking a camping break and changing or repacking bags," said Ross. Sometimes teens will be found vaping in the stalls.

"We try to give space for legitimate and ...appropriate use, while deterring abuse of the facilities."