VOICES: Dayton Metro Library: Open, safe and accessible

On Monday, September 30, Dayton Metro Library made the difficult decision to adjust its hours of operation at the Southeast Branch. This change in hours was in response to the increase of teens fighting at the Branch. We recognize this behavior is unacceptable and everyone should feel safe in our Branches. The decision to reduce service hours was not made lightly, and many parties were part of the decision-making process: Southeast Branch staff, Dayton Public Schools, Dayton Police Department, and our Safety and Protective Services Department.

As a public Library, we are dedicated to keeping our Branches open, safe, and accessible to all. It is also critically important to say that while such events have been shocking, 99% of the kids who visit our Branches are good kids who do homework, play games, utilize Library resources, attend programs, and connect with their friends. We also recognize that teens fighting is not exclusive to the Southeast Branch - it’s happening throughout Dayton.

On Tuesday, October 22, we hosted “Making Your Dayton Metro Libraries Safe: A Community Conversation.” It was an opportunity for a productive dialogue about the safety of patrons, staff, and the communities we serve. Over 125 people attended and heard from Rachel Gut, Deputy Director of Dayton Metro Library; Dr. David Lawrence, Superintendent of Dayton Public Schools; Dr. Marvin Jones, Business Manager of Dayton Public Schools; and Major Jason Hall of the Dayton Police Department. Questions and suggestions were submitted through an online form prior to the event, with the panel answering from their respective organization’s viewpoint.

The resounding theme from the event: Dayton Metro Library is committed to providing access for all and as much support as we can to young people in our Branches. What does that look like? Librarians at each Branch are creating after-school programs and are working with community organizations to design unique opportunities for teens. STEM and STEAM programs; the Homework Help Center; job fairs; Dayton Municipal Court’s Know Your Rights classes; and drama clubs are just a few ways teens can get plugged in to what we offer.

We also want to hear students’ voices. Several Branches have Teen Advisory Boards where students identify what they are interested in doing after school and how staff and partners can work to meet their needs.

Although the Library has limitations related to staffing, we have as many staff as possible working in Branch communal areas after school. Our Safety and Protective Services Department are on the floor every day, doing a wonderful job of being proactive and training staff members on how to be safe and keep others safe.

What are the next steps? The conversation we started is just beginning. Dayton Metro Library is already planning another opportunity to explore solutions that will help keep our Branches open, safe, and accessible to all. We are also excited to announce that the current restricted hours at the Southeast Branch will slightly expand on Monday, Nov. 4, with plans to resume regular hours on Monday, Dec. 23.

Jeffrey Trzeciak is the Executive Director of the Dayton Metro Library.

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About the Author

Jeffrey Trzeciak