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Bangor library asks council to sustain social-worker role as patron visits and incidents rise
Summary
Library representative Ben Tree told the council attendance and event programming are rising and urged continued funding for a social worker (Olivia Scott) who refers unhoused patrons to services and helps staff manage behavior; councilors supported the role but flagged concerns about permanence and funding sources.
The Bangor Public Library asked the council to continue funding a social-worker position after library staff reported rising patron counts and an increase in behavior-related incidents that strain operations.
Ben Tree, speaking for the library, said attendance is up for both daily visits and large events and that the library has secured more than $20,000 in grants this year, including about $13,000 from the Friends of the Bangor Public Library. He described a strategy of using non‑operating grants to fund programming while seeking general-operating support from the city.
Tree said the social-worker position — Olivia Scott — plays a dual role: referring unhoused patrons to service providers and supporting staff through difficult encounters. "If we did not have that position in place, my ability to run the library will be near 0," Tree said, describing the social worker’s role in referrals, de-escalation and staff support.
Councilors expressed broad sympathy and support but raised two consistent concerns: (1) whether the role should be permanent if homelessness and service pressure ease, and (2) whether the county or regional partners could share funding. One councilor noted the library’s operating reliance on city support and asked whether the council’s share of the library budget (reported as about 70%) gives the city input into trusteeship.
Tree said the library has explored grants and annual giving to supplement operating funds but that some functions — the ongoing social-worker salary and core operations — depend on municipal support. Councilors asked the administration to pursue county contributions and to bring additional data about outcomes and funding options before final budget votes.
The council did not take a formal vote on the funding request during the workshop; members signaled support for maintaining the position in the near term while seeking regional cost-sharing and continuing committee work on homelessness.
