(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) The Contra Costa County Library announced on Feb. 16, 2024, that it would temporarily shut its branch in Antioch, Calif., because of reported drug use, robberies and public sex in the library stacks that jeopardized the staff and patrons, calling all of these crimes “repeated dangerous incidents.”
The branch was closed on Feb. 17, 2024, and would remain in place “until further notice,” according to the library system’s website. However, by Feb. 17, 2024, evening, the library system said that the branch would reopen on Feb. 20, 2024, Fox 2 reported.
“The Contra Costa County Library has made this difficult decision after repeated dangerous incidents in the last few months that have threatened the safety and security of patrons and staff,” the library originally said on its website.
In addition to that, a library spokesperson informed Fox 2 that crimes, theft and vandalism against employees and patrons were just the tip of the iceberg.
“We’ve also had drug activity and drug use both inside the library and on library property. People having sexual intercourse inside the library or on property in full view of patrons and staff. We found bullet casings on library property,” Brooke Converse, a spokeswoman for the Contra Costa County Library System, said.
“No one in the City of Antioch, including the police chief, was informed of safety concerns by Contra Costa County regarding the library,” Hernandez-Thorpe said.
However, library officials said that the branch is owned and operated by the county, which means that county supervisors were notified about what was going on. In addition to that, the officials said they would work more closely with the city.
“The Library will be in close contact with the City of Antioch about how they can best support the safety of library patrons, staff, and the surrounding neighborhood,” County Librarian Alison McKee said.
The library also said that it will add a second full-time security officer, repair a vandalized fence and upgrade security cameras.
“We apologize for the short notice and the inconvenience, but the safety of our patrons and staff is a top priority,” the library officials said.
