California: “Santa Ana Closing Main Library For 2 Weeks For Renovation to Stem Patron Misbehavior”

From The Orange County Register:

Prompted by frequent complaints of misconduct in places in the periphery, Santa Ana Public Library’s main branch will be shut down on Friday for its first interior renovation in a quarter-century.
This closure, announced Monday evening and scheduled through Aug. 28, entails relocating seats to the center of the first floor and removing carrels that make it hard for library staff to keep watch over patrons.
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Since the start of the year, library staff have logged incidents including harassment, sexual misconduct and indecent exposure, loud and disruptive behavior, vandalism, alcohol and drug use and bathroom misuse. Staff recorded 366 incidents from January to June, with a low of 21 in January and a high of 88 in June.

From Read the Complete Article (approx. 500 words)

Filed under: Libraries, News, Patrons and Users