Library system receives grant, hires monitors
Burbank’s Buena Vista Branch Library.
The recent staffing shortfalls in the Burbank Police Department have some residents suggesting other methods of patrolling to better ensure safety in the community.
In January, Library Services officials received funding to hire three monitors, employees who are staffed at each branch to make sure patrons are following the rules, and, in some cases, notify police of any illegal activity or patrons causing a nuisance.
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Some residents have suggested a similar type of service at parks or other at-risk areas in the city.
“Every neighborhood has their park or their library, and I’m sure the community members would sure love security or eyes-and-ears at every one of those venues,” Burbank Police Sgt. Claudio Losacco said. “I don’t think there’s any one in particular.”
Losacco said the library monitors are trained by police to know what to look for in certain scenarios and when to call police for assistance.
“We rely upon the library staff to call us when they have some sort of issue,” he said.
Elizabeth Goldman, library services director for the city, said the monitor position was a longstanding job at the libraries, but was suspended because of budget cuts during the recession.
Like any public place, there are different types of people who visit local libraries, and situations can escalate, especially at smaller locations, she said.
“We get the widest amount and variety of people you could imagine in a public library, and we also have somewhat limited space, especially here at the older Central Library building,” Goldman said. “There’s not enough seating, so there are situations where people are sharing space. Most of the time, it doesn’t cause any problems, but every once in a while, they can flare up a little bit.”
Having the monitors back at the libraries means those kinds of situations can be addressed while other library employees can concentrate on helping patrons find books or assist students with their assignments.
“We would like [our staff] to be able to focus their work on supporting people’s reading, learning and information needs, as opposed to crowd control or dealing with difficult situations,” Goldman said. “The monitors really just complement the staff and let people focus on the areas they’re best in.”
City spokesman Drew Sugars said he is unaware if the City Council is looking into implementing such a program citywide. “[But] we’re always open to innovative ideas,” he said.
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Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com
Twitter: @acocarpio
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