Trustees press for fix after automatic doors nearly strike child at Stevens Point branch

The Board of Trustees discussed a recent safety incident at the Stevens Point branch in which an automatic south-side door did not detect a shorter patron and nearly closed on a child. Alexander, the library director, said he reported the incident to risk management and would press the city for a timeline on repairs and a safer activation method.

"So what happened yesterday was that a younger patron had wandered away from the circulation desk while there had approached the door," Alexander said, describing the event and its risk to smaller patrons. Board members expressed disappointment that the problem has occurred multiple times despite earlier reports, and urged a quicker response from the city.

Alexander said the city plans to install a push-button activator so the doors will not open automatically every time someone approaches, which he believes will reduce accidental activations and preserve the automatic function for patrons who need it. He also said the current motors are overworked by frequent automatic openings and a push-button should extend equipment life.

The board asked Alexander to follow up with the city within days or a week and to bring any formal request for assistance back to the board if necessary. No formal vote was taken; the matter will return for follow-up once the director hears back from city risk-management contacts.