Public Libraries: "Decision to Arm Library Guards in Gilbert [AZ] Sparks Debate"
From the Arizona Republic:
The question of whether libraries need armed security guards has caused a furor in Gilbert.
The controversy began after the Maricopa County Library District, which operates Gilbert’s two libraries, reinstated security guards last month at the Southeast Regional Library.
The decision to reinstate and arm the security guards followed complaints by staffers who were confronting rising incidents of theft and increasingly hostile encounters with irate patrons over late fees and other issues.
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Filed under: Libraries, Patrons and Users, Public Libraries

About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.