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Library director cites rising incidents; board discusses formal statement to mayor and extra staff
Summary
The library director reported a rise in disruptive and sometimes violent incidents—especially on Saturdays—said the library added a second security guard for weekends and urged city support for dedicated staff (1–2 FTE) to engage and de-escalate; board members discussed drafting a statement to the mayor and coordinating with police and EMS.
The Fargo Library Board on March 17 received a new annual security report documenting an uptick in disruptive behavior and some violent incidents at library locations, the director said, and discussed next steps including a potential board statement to the mayor asking for additional resources.
The director told the board that staff have seen more frequent incidents, many concentrated on Saturdays, ranging from aggressive confrontations to people in mental health crisis. In response the library added a second security guard on Saturdays but described that staffing as reactive. The director said the library needs 1–2 full-time employees whose role would be outreach and engagement — to build relationships with frequent users, de-escalate situations and connect people to services — rather than rely solely on contract security.
Board members asked whether city administration, police and EMS had been involved; the director said city administrators had been contacted and first responders have been an essential partner, citing an officer who helps identify individuals, confirm trespasses and share photos. A board member suggested drafting a collective statement to the mayor and city leaders urging action; another volunteered to draft a proposed letter and agreed to send it directly to the director to avoid a prohibited serial meeting by email among board members.
The director characterized the issue as a community one that requires partners across agencies and services, and said the library will continue forwarding detailed incident reports to city administration and working with first responders.
