| Crime up in library parking lots |
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| Written by PETER KUEBECK Sentinel Staff Writer | |
| Thursday, 17 May 2012 09:54 | |
The number of incidents taking place in the two lots, both bordering Church Street, far outstrips those occurring in neighboring city lots. At its board meeting Tuesday morning, Library Director Michael Penrod said he has had informal discussions with city officials, including Police Chief Brad Conner, about the incidents and what the library can do. Over the period from August 2010 through September 2011, the library's two lots had 120 crime reports, with 59 arrests. In comparison, the two city lots adjacent to the library, Lot 4 and Lot 6, had only 16 reports and five arrests over the same period. The incidents included fighting, public urination, open container, and underage alcohol offenses. "I'm a little concerned about the statistics that we're seeing there," said Board President Brian Paskvan. The Police Division suggested that the library might lock or barricade its lots at night, a prospect that Penrod hesitated to move forward with. In the past, he said, the library had not gated its lots because patrons would park there and then walk downtown for events or dining. "Even if we choose to close the lot, you have the problem of cars that are there, no matter when you do it," said board member Scott McEwen. Penrod noted that they have looked into the cost of hiring an off-duty police officer to patrol the site on weekends. At the stated rate of $37 per hour, such a service could run as much as $15,000 per year. Other possibilities, including installing security cameras on the site, were also discussed. In other business, the board heard that the library will be migrating to a new online catalog system at the beginning of June. The new software will be installed June 1 through June 7, and as a result the web catalog will not be available during those days. Patrons are urged to be sure they bring their library card with them, and no overdue fines will accrue from June 3 through June 10. Requests from other libraries, and the availability of new materials, will also be delayed while the system is being upgraded. Some other services and options at the library may also not be available for a period of two weeks due to the change. With the issue, Penrod noted that, through September, patrons will be able to get a replacement library card free of charge - the cost is usually $1. The move is to help update patron information and give the new computer system "a clean slate." The library has not had a similar software upgrade since 2005, and Penrod said that the new system will be "much more Google-like. They say it's much more intuitive, easier to use." |
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