In 2019, more Americans went to the library than to the movies. Yes, really.

[Frank Cox]

https://lithub.com/in-2019-more-amer...es-yes-really/'

The US film industry may have generated revenues somewhere in the region of $40 billion last year, but it seems Hollywood still has plenty of work to do if it wants to compete with that most hallowed of American institutions: the public library.

Yes, according to a recent Gallup poll (the first such survey since 2001), visiting the local library remains by far the most common cultural activity Americans engage in. As reported earlier today by Justin McCarthy:

“Visiting the library remains the most common cultural activity Americans engage in, by far. The average 10.5 trips to the library U.S. adults report taking in 2019 exceeds their participation in eight other common leisure activities. Americans attend live music or theatrical events and visit national or historic parks roughly four times a year on average and visit museums and gambling casinos 2.5 times annually. Trips to amusement or theme parks (1.5) and zoos (.9) are the least common activities among this list.”

The results of the Gallup poll have been broken down in a range of different ways, all of which you can peruse at your leisure, but two of the more interesting (though unsurprising) findings are that women report visiting the library nearly twice as frequently as men do, and that libraries are visited most by adults in low-income households and least by adults in high-income households.

Congratulations to all you librarians out there; keep fighting the good fight.

Pour one out for the zookeepers, though; it appears they may not be long for this world…

Here is the poll mentioned:


Go to a library 10.5
Go to a movie at a movie theater 5.3
Attend a live sporting event 4.7
Attend a live music or theatrical event 3.8
Visit a national or historical park 3.7
Visit a museum 2.5
Visit a gambling casino 2.5
Go to an amusement or theme park 1.5
Visit a zoo 0.9

[Bobby Henderson]

Those poll results at first glance seem pretty odd. The library doesn't appear to be the most popular form of getting out of the house style entertainment in my region. I see a lot more cars in the casino parking lots than I do at the library. We have a decent local library downtown. It's usually pretty dead most times I go there (which isn't all that often).

It would be interesting if there was a break down of demographics in this poll, along the lines of age, income & education level, etc. Are the attendance numbers at libraries being bolstered by a retired age population? Electronic book readers are really popular, particularly with people in Gen-X and younger age groups. I would have figured the rise of E-Book readers would have dramatically reduced library attendance levels.

The categories of live sporting events and live music/theatrical events can be very broad, which would tend to boost their attendance numbers more. You can watch a high school football game for next to nothing or even free. Attending a D1 NCAA college football game can get pricey, depending on the team and location. Attending a NFL game is a freaking price gouge anymore. The same divides are present in live music and theatrical shows. It doesn't cost much to see a local or regional band play a set at a local night spot. Tickets to community theater shows are often fairly reasonable. Concert tickets for a nationally-known, current music act can be crazy expensive. Even tickets for "dinosaur" acts can seem steep ($30-$70 here locally to watch such acts at the modest sized concert venue in a casino).

Zoos are suffering lately from bad publicity. A visit to an amusement/theme park has become a very expensive proposition. The Frontier City theme park in OKC is a modest sized park not nearly as big as Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, but a one day pass there is $50!

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton and Fort Sill is pretty popular, even though it's not a full fledged "National Park." It's still in the parks system. There's no entry fees to enter the refuge.

[Frank Cox]

It would be interesting if there was a break down of demographics in this poll, along the lines of age, income & education level, etc.

There is, but I'm not sure how well it will paste in. I'll try to covert it to plain text first since that's what worked for the main poll information that I posted above.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Visiting the library remains the most common cultural activity Americans engage in, by far. The average 10.5 trips to the library U.S. adults report taking in 2019 exceeds their participation in eight other common leisure activities. Americans attend live music or theatrical events and visit national or historic parks roughly four times a year on average and visit museums and gambling casinos 2.5 times annually. Trips to amusement or theme parks (1.5) and zoos (.9) are the least common activities among this list.
Americans' Reports of Leisure and Activities
About how many times in the past year, if any, did you do each of the following? How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?
2019 Dec 2-15
Average
Go to a library 10.5
Go to a movie at a movie theater 5.3
Attend a live sporting event 4.7
Attend a live music or theatrical event 3.8
Visit a national or historical park 3.7
Visit a museum 2.5
Visit a gambling casino 2.5
Go to an amusement or theme park 1.5
Visit a zoo 0.9
Dec. 2-15, 2019
Gallup

These data -- collected in a Dec. 2-15, 2019 Gallup poll -- are an update from a December 2001 survey. Though the overall rankings at the beginning of the millennium remain the same today, a small decrease has occurred in reported trips to the movie theater (down 1.3 average visits). Meanwhile, small increases have taken place in average reports of visiting a museum (up 0.7 average visits), attending a live music or theatrical event (up 1.1 average visits) and visits to a national or historical park (up 1.3 average visits).
Women Visit Libraries Nearly Twice as Frequently as Men

Men and woman report doing most activities at about the same rate, but there are a few key differences:

Women report visiting the library nearly twice as frequently as men do, 13.4 to 7.5 visits.

Men are more likely than women to visit casinos, attend sporting events and visit national or historical parks.

Reports of Leisure and Activities, by Gender
Men Women Difference
Average Average (Men minus women)
Go to a library 7.5 13.4 -5.9
Go to a movie at a movie theater 5.1 5.6 -0.5
Attend a live music or theatrical event 3.7 3.8 -0.1
Visit a zoo 0.9 0.8 +0.1
Visit a museum 2.7 2.3 +0.4
Go to an amusement or theme park 1.8 1.3 +0.5
Visit a gambling casino 3.4 1.7 +1.7
Attend a live sporting event 5.7 3.7 +2.0
Visit a national or historical park 4.9 2.4 +2.5
Dec. 2-15, 2019
Gallup
The 30-49 Age Group Most Active Across Most Activities

Across nearly all measures, the highest average activity rates are among the 30 to 49 age group, while the lowest are among those 65 and older.

The 30 to 49 age group's higher activity may reflect their relative youth combined with mid-life financial stability. Middle-aged adults' activity is particularly above-par in terms of attending live sporting events. Their average attendance of 7.4 events during the year is more than twice that of younger adults and exceeds older adults by more than three visits.

The two exceptions to the pattern of middle-aged adults being the most active are visits to libraries and casinos. U.S. adults aged 18 to 29 visit the library much more than all older age groups -- possibly reflecting college-going adults, who visit the library for studies. This youngest age group also visits casinos the most.
Reports of Leisure and Activities, by Age Group
18-29 30-49 50-64 65+
Average Average Average Average
Go to a library 15.5 12.3 6.8 8.2
Go to a movie at a movie theater 6.6 6.8 4.1 3.6
Attend a live sporting event 2.8 7.4 3.9 3.7
Attend a live music or theatrical event 3.1 4.5 3.8 2.7
Visit a national or historical park 4.2 5.9 2.3 1.6
Visit a museum 2.9 2.9 2.0 1.8
Visit a gambling casino 4.4 2.9 1.8 1.4
Go to an amusement or theme park 1.8 2.6 1.0 0.5
Visit a zoo 0.7 1.5 0.6 0.4
Dec. 2-15, 2019
Gallup
High-Income Households Generally Do More Activities

In general, Americans in high-income households report doing activities the most, while Americans in low-income households participate the least.

The widest gaps between high- and low-income households are in reports of attending a live sporting event, a live music or theatrical event, a museum, and going to the movie theater -- all things often associated with significant ticket prices.

Conversely, the library -- which is free and offers a variety of services including WiFi -- is visited most by adults in low-income households and least by adults in high-income households.

Despite having smaller incomes, Americans in low-income households visit gambling casinos with slightly greater frequency.

Meanwhile, the three income groups are about as likely to attend an amusement or theme park as well as the zoo.

Reports of Leisure and Activities, by Income Group
$100,000+ $40,000-99,999 Less than $40,000
Average Average Average
Go to a library 8.5 10.4 12.2
Go to a movie at a movie theater 6.3 5.7 4.4
Attend a live sporting event 7.5 3.8 3.6
Attend a live music or theatrical event 5.9 3.8 2.3
Visit a national or historical park 4.0 3.6 3.5
Visit a museum 3.5 2.8 1.5
Visit a gambling casino 2.5 2.2 3.5
Go to an amusement or theme park 2.1 1.3 1.5
Visit a zoo 0.9 0.8 1.0
Dec. 2-15, 2019
Gallup
Certain Activities More Frequented Among Households With Children

For most measures, there are not meaningful differences between adults who report having children under the age of 18 in their households versus adults who do not have children living in their homes. But for a few activities, there are some differences between the two groups:

Adults with children in their household attend live sporting events and go to the movies about two times or more than adults who do not have children.

Meanwhile, adults who have no children in their household attend live music or theatrical events slightly more frequently than adults who have children in their homes.

Reports of Leisure and Activities, by Children Under 18 in Household
Children under 18 No children under 18
Average Average
Go to a library 10.1 10.8
Go to a movie at a movie theater 6.8 4.7
Attend a live sporting event 6.7 3.7
Attend a live music or theatrical event 3.1 4.2
Visit a national or historical park 3.9 3.5
Visit a museum 2.2 2.7
Visit a gambling casino 3.9 2.0
Go to an amusement or theme park 2.0 1.3
Visit a zoo 1.5 0.6
Dec. 2-15, 2019
Gallup
Regional Variations in Some Activities

Americans' reports of doing activities vary by the four regions in which they live:

Those who live in the East report having visited a museum with the greatest frequency.

In the West, adults have the highest reports of visiting historical or national parks and gambling casinos.

Reports of Leisure and Activities, by Region
East Midwest South West
Average Average Average Average
Go to a library 10.4 12.9 9.3 10.1
Go to a movie at a movie theater 5.3 4.9 5.4 5.6
Attend a live sporting event 4.5 4.6 5.1 4.3
Attend a live music or theatrical event 3.7 3.0 3.8 4.6
Visit a national or historical park 3.0 2.7 3.1 5.9
Visit a museum 4.0 1.7 2.0 2.5
Visit a gambling casino 1.4 3.3 1.0 5.1
Go to an amusement or theme park 1.8 0.8 1.7 1.7
Visit a zoo 0.6 1.1 0.9 0.7
Dec. 2-15, 2019
Gallup
Bottom Line

Despite the proliferation of digital-based activities over the past two decades -- including digital books, podcasts, streaming entertainment services and advanced gaming -- libraries have endured as a place Americans visit nearly monthly on average. Whether because they offer services like free Wi-Fi, movie rentals, or activities for children, libraries are most utilized by young adults, women and residents of low-income households.

Activities that typically cost money are visited or attended less frequently. Among this group of activities, outings to movie theaters and sports events remain the trips Americans make the most, while zoos are the least frequented.

Many factors determine how Americans spend their free time, and financial means is a key factor. Age, too, is a large determinant. While middle-aged Americans may tend to be the most active in these activities due to their relative youth and greater financial stability, the 30 to 49 age cohort's activeness may also reflect its household makeup. The average age of a first-time mother in the U.S. is 26 and 31 for a first-time father, according to 2016 data from the National Center for Health Statistics. So, the need to keep growing children entertained through trips to the movies or to sporting events -- which are more popular among households with children -- may be more common among this age group.

But one's personal interests also factor into such decisions, which may bear out in activities showing significant gender differences, such as a women's book club at the local library, or activities that are more popular or available in certain parts of the country.

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/284009/...vies-2019.aspx

[Mike Blakesley]

The media just loves stories that make the theater industry look to be dying. If I was the theater industry I'd gang up and make a movie about how newspapers are dying, just to get even with them. (Except newspapers really are dying.)

[Martin McCaffery]

Well, if you don't count mo9vies I see in my own theatre, I go to the library more than movie theatre. Libraries are a pretty quick stop. Go in, find and or return a book and get out. They aren't places of entertainment for most of their clientele.
And how many were counting dropping off and picking up the kids?
Pro-Library, pro-Movie theatre. Let's kill off the sports ball!

[Scott Norwood]

This isn't a bad thing at all. It's also not really a fair comparison. Libraries are free, while movies cost money. Some people prefer reading to movies and vice-versa. As one who enjoys both movies and librarires, I'm happy to have access to both.

[Frank Cox]

I'm frankly a bit surprised at how many people apparently still visit libraries. Never would have thought that in the age of the Internet.

I used to spend a lot of time in various libraries and book stores (both used and new). Had shelves upon shelves of books here, book piled in boxes, and gosh, just endless paper of all kinds about all sorts of stuff that interests me. Any time I got to spend a day in a university library was just a day in heaven for me. It used to be that I could borrow a book from the University of Saskatchewan library and return it to the local library where I lived, and that was a wonderful thing indeed. I always spent far too much money in the bookstore at that university, too.

Fast forward to today. My books on paper all fit on two shelves and everything else has been scanned and lives on my computers in various forms. (My wife has four bookcases full of cookbooks and quilt patterns, though.) I haven't set foot in a library or a bookstore in years and I'm not particularly interested in doing so. And Google is the greatest research tool ever invented.

I actually wrote a short paper last week (about the behavioural impact of reusable bags, of all things) and never had to get out of my chair to do so. Studies of parts of the issue I was exploring were not hard to find; this is stuff that would have taken me weeks to track down a few years ago followed by more weeks to obtain it at a not inconsiderable cost. I found several papers that were exactly in my wheelhouse (mostly from the UK and Denmark for some reason) and I had a stack of research material to read and was taking notes for my own paper within a half hour of when I started looking into the subject.

Speed and efficiency to no end. More time to get back to those Internet cat videos that way.

[Bobby Henderson]

I think it's pretty interesting in the demographic sampling that twice as many women as men visit the library. But then that makes sense. My female coworkers are the ONLY ones I hear at the workplace talking about a new book they read. OTOH, they do have those Kindles and other electronic devices for reading books. Given so many more women than men visit the library it might be a good spot for a "pick up artist" to do some work!

[Randy Stankey]

I've gone to the library a couple-few times in the last year. My girlfriend goes regularly, I don't remember how many times but it's way more than I do.
We both have gone to the zoo a couple of times. We've gone to an amusement park several times, probably five or six.
I've gone to a museum at least once. We don't have any national parks near here but there is a state park (Presque Isle) that we go to regularly, more times than I can count.
But, in the last five years, the only movie I have watched in a movie theater, that I can remember the title of was "The Witch." It was decent but not great. Probably a 6/10.

At work, the most popular topics in my work area are news/current events, sports and what books people have been reading.

I agree with others, the poll numbers are probably a bit skewed for various reasons but I still have to say that, on the surface, the numbers do seem to line up with my own, personal experience pretty well.

[Martin Brooks]

IMO, polls like this are worthless because people don't really know how many times they take part in most activities, so it's all a guess and people lie about what they do. That's why in larger markets, Nielsen has abandoned written diaries in favor of Personal People Meters. But if you look at total ticket sales vs. population, for people who use the library at all, it makes total sense that they go to the library more often. Remember, if you borrow something you have to return it, so one visit to a library usually means two visits. In 2019, theatrical movies per capita in North America was only 3.4. It was over 29 in 1946, 17 in 1950, 5.4 in 1964, 4.6 in 1984, 4.4 in 1994, 4.65 in 2004, 3.6 in 2014, so it's been on a downward trend for decades, even before home video.

[Mike Blakesley]

In 2019, theatrical movies per capita in North America was only 3.4. It was over 29 in 1946, 17 in 1950, 5.4 in 1964, 4.6 in 1984, 4.4 in 1994, 4.65 in 2004, 3.6 in 2014, so it's been on a downward trend for decades, even before home video.

Well sure, because the number of "other" things and devices that are clamoring for peoples' time is multiplying at a dizzying rate. Meanwhile there are still only 24 hours in any given day.

Why do people keep being surprised at this? It's just simple math. Same reason people are watching less network TV....it's largely because of the TEN THOUSAND OTHER OPTIONS THEY HAVE!.

[Scott Norwood]

I'm frankly a bit surprised at how many people apparently still visit libraries. Never would have thought that in the age of the Internet.

I'm guessing that most of these visits are for pleasure reading and entertainment, not so much for research. If I want to find a specific fact like "what is the population of Argentina," then I would start with Google now, whereas I might have used an almanac or other paper source in the early '90s. But if I want to read a novel, I'd still prefer for that to be in book form. Also, libraries tend to do more than just circulate books--many have events (story time for children, meeting spaces for community groups, lectures, movies, etc.) for the community as well. Now that so many of them offer Internet access, they can also be convenient places for people who are self-employed to get actual work done outside of the home (perhaps en route from one meeting to another). I know a few people who regularly do business from public libraries because they are free and often pleasant spaces with few distractions.

[Bobby Henderson]

I suppose one thing is probably helping the traditional "brick and mortar" library filled with physical books: brick and mortar book stores have been closing like crazy across the nation. In many towns and small cities a real library might be the only way someone can read or even look at a physical book without having to buy it from freaking Amazon first.

[Frank Cox]

https://leaderpost.com/news/local-ne...rkplace-safety

Regina's central library a battleground over workplace safety concerns

Arthur White-Crummey, Regina Leader-Post
Updated: May 31, 2018
Some central library staff are raising concerns about unruly and troubled patrons. Brandon Harder / REGwp
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Some employees at the Regina Public Library are raising concerns over struggles with unruly, intoxicated and troubled patrons whose abusive behaviour has left several workers feeling unsafe on the job.
The library’s central branch, across from Victoria Park, is at the epicentre of their concerns. Staff at the branch’s adult section filed 659 incident reports in 2017, pointing to frequent disruptions, verbal abuse and problems with drugs and alcohol. Twenty-eight of the reports mentioned physical assaults, as did 29 in the first four months of this year — although management said there are sometimes multiple reports over the same incident.
In 96 reports last year, employees said abuse was directed against them. Verbal outbursts or swearing are the most common forms of abuse staff face, according to management, often as fallout from altercations between customers. But a few library workers told the Leader-Post they also endure threats, harassment, unwanted touching or worse.
“I’ve worked at bars and restaurants and I’ve never been subjected to the type of behaviour and the comments that I’m subjected to at the library — ever,” said one employee. “It’s shocking.”
Kevin Saunderson, the library’s senior manager of corporate services, acknowledged “challenges” with staff morale. He said verbal abuse is common, while intoxicated people are “pretty much constantly” in the central branch. That behaviour isn’t allowed, he said. But he wants the library to remain a space that welcomes “the full spectrum of the citizenry of Regina” — even those with addictions or behavioural issues.
“We’re not going to close the doors and not let people in,” said Saunderson. “We are open to the public.”
The central library’s adult section saw 357,128 visitors last year. The overwhelming majority were amicable, according to communications manager Colleen Hawkesford, who said a group of 10 to 20 hardcore troublemakers drive a large portion of the incidents.
But some employees blame senior managers for the problems. A group of mostly frontline workers, who spoke to the Leader-Post under condition of anonymity citing fear for their jobs, said management seems unsupportive and unresponsive to their concerns.
“When there is an issue, it feels like it’s greatly minimized,” said one employee. “It feels like the response is terrible.”
“It feels like the relationship has soured to the point where repairing it is impossible,” said another.
“Morale is just so bad,” said a third.
Dale Mitchell, president of the CUPE local representing the library workers, said the situation at central branch has been “bad for a long time.” He said the union fields a lot of complaints from staff about security issues, including some who feel that not enough is being done to maintain a safe workplace.
He was far more reticent to criticize management, however. He instead traced the problem to a dysfunctional occupational health and safety committee and noted that important reforms are on the way.
In Mitchell’s view, the employees who say they feel unsafe are a minority — even at the central branch. Saunderson agreed, saying a group of critical employees have been “undertaking a campaign of fear-mongering.”
“We do an awful lot to support our staff and try to give them the tools that they need,” he said. “In my view, there are some people that won’t be happy in that area until there’s a piece of bulletproof glass between them and our customers.”
Books at the Regina Public Library. Don Healy / Regina Leader-Post
EMPLOYEES WARN OF FISTFIGHTS, NEEDLES, INDECENT ACTS

The staff members who spoke to the Leader-Post said they’re just as concerned for the library’s customers as for themselves — but some argue that management’s open-door policy is driving families away.
“I tell my friends with kids to not come to our library,” said one staff member. “And it hurts me because it’s supposed to be a great place.”
It’s a view Mitchell understands.
“Sometimes, by being all-inclusive, you’re excluding some of the people that you would like,” he said.
The employees say patrons wearing gang colours bring their disputes into the library, sometimes prompting fistfights. Some staff members report finding knives. A security guard spotted a BB gun last fall. Hawkesford confirmed that weapons do show up on occasion, but “are by far not an everyday occurrence.” Gang colours have been an issue “a couple of times,” she noted. But they’re against policy.
The library bathrooms have sharps containers — but syringes have on occasion surfaced elsewhere. Late this winter, needles were found in upholstered furniture, according to Mitchell and others. A staff email from March revealed that a bag of syringes were found in a scrap paper holder. Saunderson called the needle findings “extremely isolated incidents.”
The concerned employees say problem patrons often push boundaries, especially with female staff, with one saying they face “constant sexualization.”
“They continuously flirt with you,” said an employee. “It has escalated to a point where someone has been stalked or followed.”
Others described unwanted touching, even grabbing. One described serious threats of violence. They felt that offenders often ignore requests to stop inappropriate or threatening behaviour.
“Sometimes it gets pretty extreme and things will be thrown at us,” said one employee.
Mitchell said that kind of extreme behaviour is rare, but it does happen. In a documented incident from 2016, a supervisor at central branch was punched in the face. Another woman was kicked after inserting herself into a conflict, according to Mitchell.
The person who punched the supervisor is no longer allowed in the library, managers insist. But the group of concerned employees express little faith in the system used to enforce bans. They say it’s difficult to check who is banned from the library. One employee called them “unenforceable.”
“The bans are inconsistent,” said another. “There is no protocol.”
Mitchell agreed that bans aren’t very effective. Statistics show that 257 incident reports involved repeat offenders last year. Saunderson said that some of those people were under a ban at the time — but found a way to enter the library building despite it.
Some of the employees felt that grossly inappropriate conduct often leads to minimal bans. In documented incidents this spring, a man was caught masturbating in public, while another was seen hugging a boy he didn’t know before threatening staff and fighting with another patron. According to documents signed by the library’s CEO, both were barred for one month.
From the written reports, it was unclear whether those bans were ever extended. Managers would not confirm whether the two men are now allowed back, citing privacy issues. Police were called in the hugging incident. Saunderson said staff are advised to do likewise in public masturbation cases. He said that staff are “absolutely” encouraged to call police whenever children are at risk.
But he explained why management often tries to resolve problems without resorting to lengthy bans. He noted that many of those who cause problems in the library have “significant” needs — including mental health issues — and may not be able to easily control their conduct.
“We prefer not to leverage long-term bans to address short-term behavioural issues, because we start to get into the grey area of human rights,” he said.
The interior of the downtown branch of the Regina Public Library Bryan Schlosser / Regina Leader-Post
TRUST BROKEN FOR MANY, BUT CHANGES ON THE WAY

There’s little agreement on the extent of the safety issues inside the central branch. There’s even less on how things got to this point — but it’s clear that the relationship between management and many staff members has frayed, with one employee calling it “severely toxic.”
Eighty-one per cent of employees across the entire library system responded to an engagement survey in 2016. Just 41 per cent would recommend RPL as “a great place to work.” The same proportion had an unfavourable view of senior management, according to a composite measure drawn from questions on their respect for and confidence in the executive leadership of the organization.
For the anonymous employees who spoke to the Leader-Post, much of the problem stems from poor communication and unclear direction from management. That view accords with the results of survey, where 50 per cent of staff members responded unfavourably to questions about whether necessary information is readily available and “shared in an open and uninhibited manner.”
“We don’t have consistent rules for behaviours,” said one employee.
That confusion makes it difficult to control unruly patrons before behaviour escalates to an actual threat, another employee argued. Some feel that managers aren’t sufficiently present on the floor, leaving them unaware of how things play out in real-life conflicts.
Hawkesford said the library formed a committee to respond to the survey, and accepted all six recommendations. A new layer of branch managers are improving communication channels, she said. As for clarity concerns, Saunderson insists that staff have clear guidelines on how to approach situations where there’s a potential for conflict.
“They should seek the support of either another staff member or a security guard even before entering that situation,” he said. If a threat of violence arises, he wants them to call 911.
That’s also how Mitchell understands the policy.
There are widely different views on the quality of training. The concerned employees noted that it’s been about two years since their last de-escalation course. Some said they don’t feel prepared for the situations they face.
Saunderson acknowledged that the training is not “complete.” But he pointed to recent staff meetings featuring Regina Police Service officers — and said there are more improvements to come. The library is now developing an orientation and core training program for new employees, due later this year.
Mitchell had far more positive views of the existing training. His concerns focus more on reductions in security coverage, which he calls “inadequate.”
“From the union’s standpoint, I think we should have more security guards,” he said. Security hours were changed about a year ago, management confirmed, while the number of guards was cut back even earlier. Saunderson explained that the security coverage is based on statistics, which show that they are needed more at some times than others. Mitchell said he’s never seen that data.
He agrees with the frustrated staff members that management isn’t always responsive. But he casts some of the fault on employees — and on the union local he leads.
“We’ve filed complaints. We’ve had our members file complaints, but we haven’t really followed up on them,” he said. “I think a lot of the blame is on the local.”
Mitchell said convincing employees to sit on the occupational health and safety committee is “like pulling teeth.” For a long time, the committee “hasn’t been proactive in preventing violence in the workplace.” He said the union is now taking steps to change that.
He’s seen recent progress. Walkie-talkies, a key employee demand, are coming to the central branch “imminently,” in Saunderson’s words. The library is now waiting on approval from the CRTC, a federal regulatory body. They also recently hired a counsellor to address the root causes of troubling behaviour on site.
The employees who spoke for the Leader-Post still have their doubts. They signed up to work in a library — but one employee said it feels like they’re running a “day shelter.”
“A large part of what we feel, as well as threatened, is helpless. What can we do?” another asked. “We’re not social workers.”

[Dustin Grush]

The library in our city is a popular destination for the homeless in the area. I drove by the other week near opening time and there were probably 25-30 people waiting to get inside. I couldn't believe that the library was so popular until the person I was riding with informed me that they were mostly the homeless population trying to get warm (he works in the city, is familiar, I do not work in the city.) Makes sense though. Heat in the winter, AC in the summer. Now, how many of them participated in the polling, who knows. One of our regional libraries (OK, probably most libraries, but this one for sure) is very active with its children's programs. We participated in a fundraiser with them a few years ago and I was pleasantly surprised at the turnout. Also, as was said above, libraries are generally free (at point of use, tax supported of course) for most activities and librarians are generally very helpful with all manor of things.