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Corona library reports three suspensions, drug incidents; trustees discuss lighting and security changes
Summary
Library manager Danielle Whittington and Community Services Director Donna Fitch told the Corona City Library Board of Trustees the library logged three suspensions and five incidents involving drugs or paraphernalia; staff and Corona Police Department recommended changes including lighting, landscaping and other environmental-design measures.
Danielle Whittington, library manager for the Corona Public Library, told the board that the library has recorded three suspensions and five incidents involving drugs or drug paraphernalia in the past several months.
Whittington said the library follows a graduated code of conduct: a first violation prompts a warning; a second violation leads to a request to leave the library; a third violation results in a 30-day suspension; and a fourth violation requires approval by the community services director and can carry a 31-day to one-year suspension depending on severity. "We have had 3 suspensions in the past couple of months," Whittington said.
Whittington cautioned staff not to handle suspected fentanyl and described the response protocol: "Fentanyl is very powerful and you don't know what's on the outside of anything," she said. Staff were instructed to cover suspected paraphernalia and call Corona Police Department so officers can retrieve it safely.
Trustee Shirley Tyler Hayes told the board she had heard community concerns about safety. "I don't feel safe sometimes at the library," she said, thanking staff for documenting incidents and planning responses.
Donna Fitch, the community services director, said library staff, Corona PD, facilities and parks teams completed site assessments to identify areas that attract problematic behavior. Recommended steps include adding lighting to make exit paths brighter, modifying landscaping to reduce hiding places, and planting denser or more invasive shrubs near fence lines and patio areas to deter access. Fitch said staff are prioritizing exterior changes first and will make minimal interior modifications afterward.
Board members asked whether extra security staff would be used during evening programs; Fitch confirmed lighting, landscape and line-of-sight changes were the immediate steps under consideration and said the city and police had noted the canopy of trees around the building reduced visibility. Trustees pressed staff to return with timing and cost estimates for the recommended changes.
The board did not take any formal action on security at the meeting; staff said they would begin implementing prioritized environmental-design changes in the coming months and continue coordination with Corona PD.
Ending: Staff listed several near-term programs and volunteer orientations; trustees asked to receive follow-up details on planned lighting and landscape work and on any requests for additional security staffing.
