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Willenhall Library staff manning doors due to anti-social behaviour

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:32 pm
by dutchman
Police are also involved

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Staff at a Coventry library are having to act as bouncers on the front door due to on-going problems with anti-social behaviour.

An education scrutiny board was told staff at Willenhall Library are having to “shepherd people in and out”, but other visitors have stopped coming altogether because of the problems.

Police have also been involved in the issue.

Speaking at the scrutiny meeting on Thursday, January 9, head of service for libraries Peter Barnett said: “It does create a challenge.

“We have times where we basically have to have a member of staff on the door just to shepherd people in and out of the library because of some of the concerns we have got.

“I think that has had a bit of a knock-on effect as some library users have chosen to use other libraries or to live with it.”

The library moved into the Hagard Youth Centre on Remembrance Road following a round of council cuts in 2016.

Visitor numbers, the number of book issues and library membership all decreased in 2018/19 compared to the previous year, figures show.

But councillors were told the library location is not causing the issue.

Mr Barnett added: “I don’t have any major issues with the current site of Willenhall Library.

“The challenges in Willenhall are more to do with antisocial behaviour issues that are much broader than just the library.

“I know local members have been heavily involved in working with the local police unit and my colleagues.

“We rely heavily on our relationship with police and are very grateful for the efforts over the last six months or so.”

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