“Despite the violence and commotion – the libraries want to be open”
“Activities in public environments is proposed to have the ability to port customers and visitors who repeatedly disturbs the order or commit offences. The proposed amendment also includes the library, but the librarians themselves are reluctant.”
“Loud young people throwing books and cut apart the furniture. Homeless people who move in to avoid the winter cold. The mentally ill and addicts who do not listen to the staff.”
“and you’ll see the everyday life of many Swedish libraries, and in rare cases, there are also threats and acts of violence.”
” We are Stockholm’s second largest library, with 2 000 visitors per day and there are things that happen every day. There are things that happen on the Stadsbiblioteket at Odenplan also, but this is very much linked to the system problems, ” says Kristofer Gren, director of the library in Kista in northern Stockholm.”
“– It is a vulnerable environment for employees that may deal with very much all the time, ” he continues.”
“Ported from library”
“Recently presented a study which suggests that activities in public environments should be able to prohibit persons who repeatedly have with disturbing the peace, shoplifting goods, or committed felonies from staying in a certain place.”
“According to the proposal, a refusal of access order may be issued by the public prosecutor, after an investigation where the offender’s past behavior and the possible sentences to be reviewed.”
“– you know the person that it is forbidden to visit the current site. Do you do it anyway, you can be sentenced to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding six months. The idea is that it should deter them from being there, ” says the investigator My Hedström, who is also head of the division at the Prosecutor’s office.”
“Giovanna Jörgensen is the head librarian in the town of Nynäshamn and previously worked as director of the library in Stockholmsstadsdelen Årsta, a library where ordningsstörningarna been so serious that during periods been forced to hire security guards to be able to stay open.”
“– It has definitely been an intimidating environment in the library that have made that it has been a precarious place for many, both staff and visitors. And then I can not say other than that we had sometimes wished that there were stronger measures, ” she says.”
“Sceptical about the proposal.”
“Despite the is Giovanna Jörgensen sceptical about the proposal in the investigation.”
“I think the question is going to be very excited and I think it can lead to limitations in the libraries as an open space,” she says, and continues:”
“– But having said this, the libraries have problems every day. It needed someone to take care of young people that are arguing, it is needed in places that homeless people can stay while on the needed care for those who are mentally ill. It is the people who end up in libraries. To lock out them from the libraries is like taking an Advil.”
“the trade Union Dik organize many of Sweden’s librarians. Chair Anna Troberg says that Dik does not support the proposal to disconnect people from the libraries.”
“– problems Arise, one should be able to lift them away from the libraries in the situation. But turning off any of the longer period of time, it is a democratic problem and it means additional work problems. Who shall ensure that the suspended persons were not coming in?”
“It is precisely the question that Kristofer Branch asks when he discusses the proposal if the refusal of access.”
” How will librarians be able to check people when they come back to the room? We have no resources to stand and control who comes into the library room, ” he says.”
“According to Christopher Branch, there is a way to calm and confident library not through prohibition, without cooperation.”
“– Librarians are trained to help people to look for information, they are not trained to take care of social problems and where we need help from other professionals, ” he says.”
“If there is a risk that a person will commit a crime or seriously harass others, in a library, a swimming facility or store shall that person be able to get access to the current site.”
“It should go to so that the owner or the person responsible for the activity apply to the prosecutor about this. After an investigation, which among other things, may hear witnesses or look at the previous polisanmälningar and judgments, a prosecutor may take a decision on refusal of access. The decision shall be subject to appeal to the court.”
“Cases will be processed”
“the Access refusal order to get notified for up to one year, and shall be renewable for at most one year at a time.”
“that violate the access refusal order is sentenced to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding six months.”
