The number of security incidents has basically flat-lined at Barrie Public Library’s downtown, Painswick and Holly branches.
Library figures show the number of security incidents, per 5,000 visits, is 5.95 from January to August this year, compared to 5.91 during the same time period in 2023.
“What we have seen in the last few months is that the numbers are remaining largely stable,” Lauren Jessop, the library’s chief executive officer, said while making a presentation to the city’s finance and responsible governance committee on Wednesday.
Security incidents are basically anything that violates the library’s patron conduct policy, she said. This can include things like smoking, being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, stealing or vandalism.
Jessop said the difference between 2023 and 2024 numbers is literally eight or nine incidents, she told committee, which is comprised of city councillors.
“It’s a little bit more nuanced than just looking at a number per 5,000 (visits),” Jessop said. “The incidents seem to be happening now more outside the building, so security is having more time to walk around the outside of the building and look for people smoking … and move them along.
“It’s worth noting too that not all these incidents are … extreme,” she said. “Some of them are we found drug paraphernalia outside and had to clean it up. Sometimes if an incident is smoking, it could escalate into … now that person is argumentative with the (City of Barrie) security guard, then that’s when it gets to the point of being recorded as an incident.”
Most of the security incidents take place at the library’s downtown branch, on Worsley Street.
“I would suspect there is probably very little incidence at the other two branches, if any at all,” said Coun. Gary Harvey, committee chairman.
“We are feeling a difference with the community navigator in place,” Jessop said.
Since May 1, the library’s community navigator has worked with individuals who visit the library and are experiencing societal issues, such as homelessness, precarious housing, food insecurity, poverty, unemployment, mental health crises and addictions, at all three branches, with a focus on the downtown library.
Jessop’s presentation addressed key performance indicators (KPI) at the library’s three branches, as the city looks to measure how its services are functioning.
The number of physical visits to Barrie Public Library, for example, is 404,560 so far this year, up 7.3 per cent from 2023’s total of 376,969, again during that January to August time period.
The percentage of Barrie households with a library membership increased by 8.7 per cent, from 48.2 per cent to 56.9 per cent.
The number of active cardholders, who borrowed physical items like a book in the last 24 months, jumped 17.6 per cent to 44,519 from 37,843.
Also trending upwards is the number of participants in library programs, which increased by 13.4 per cent, to 50,867 from 44,837, again in that January to August window, comparing 2024 to 2023.
This process also measured the number of referrals to social supports, at 23, from January to August this year.
“As a community hub, our role is to direct people to the information that they need and sometimes that means referring them to the appropriate social or community agency,” said Jessop.
She noted the referrals counted only include those reported by the community navigator — and not those from the Information Barrie database or those made by library staff.
The community navigator works mostly at the downtown branch, usually during the day, although some evenings and Saturdays.
“Our downtown library is safe,” said Coun. Jim Harris. “It’s a very safe place to bring your family to come and enjoy what the library has to offer.”
Jessop said the library will not be asking for city funding for the community navigator in 2025, but it will be requesting this funding from the County of Simcoe. The amount requested for 2025 is $120,000, as it is for a full year of service, she said.
