Greater Sudbury Public Library to review Code of Conduct as more people seek rest and shelter

The interim CEO of the Greater Public Sudbury Library says more people are seeking safety rather than books or DVD's at its branches -- especially the main one.

The Mackenzie Street branch of Greater Sudbury's public library system is close to the city's downtown.

According to Mette Kruger, library staff have seen people use the library a little bit differently in the past few years.

Kruger is the interim CEO and acting manager of Libraries and Heritage Resources for the City of Greater Sudbury.

"People are accessing the space for warmth in the winter. It's a safe place, actually, for a lot of people in the downtown area," said Kruger.

"For the main branch, the median household income is $40,000 a year, so there are people living in poverty, there are people with mental health problems, there are people with addictions," she explained.

"Our goal of the library is to meet the needs of everybody in the community," she said.

"Everyone is welcome as long as you follow the rules," she added.

Kruger says those rules are tested all the time.

"We work with the public and the public keeps us on our toes every single day," she said.

"Our staff do pretty amazing and impressive work de-escalating situations when they have to, or reminding people about some of the rules of the library," Kruger said.

She adds that for the most part people are very responsive but there have been times when library patrons have been asked to leave.

"Sometimes staff encounter patrons who are agitated when they enter the library and they do require some skills and training in de-escalating those situations," she explained.

"We have also encountered people who may be sleeping in the library where in the past that wasn't as big an issue." Kruger says staff circulate throughout the library to make sure people are okay.

The current policy which is 10 years old states that sleeping on library furniture is not permitted. But Kruger says the library board will be looking at that policy in the New Year to determine whether or not it needs to be revisited. The board will also discuss what the library can do to meet community needs.

As for drug use, the library has a zero tolerance policy on the consumption of drugs and alcohol.

"Our staff are aware of those policies and trained to address those situations as they arise," said Kruger. There are no naloxone kits on site but Kruger says that discussions are taking place about the issue.

"We are a public space with a public collection and public services that are available and open to everybody," said Kruger.

She says that it's sometimes difficult to balance everyone's needs but the staff do it well.

"When you're working with the public, you don't know what's going to happen from one day to the next," she said. "Our job is to make sure people are safe and healthy. And if that means calling an ambulance to assist somebody, then that's our job."