Antioch Library temporarily closed due to concerns over escalating crime

The Antioch Library on E. 18th Street is being temporarily closed in light of concerns about crime endangering patrons and staff, the Contra Costa County Library announced Friday.

On Friday, the county said this library would be closed "until further notice," but on Saturday, the county said the library would open again for regular hours of operation on Tuesday, February 20.

In a Facebook post on Friday, the county library said it "has made this difficult decision after repeated dangerous incidents in the last few months that have threatened the safety and security of patrons and staff."

The library apologized for the lack of notice on the closure, "but the safety of our patrons and staff is a top priority."

The library said it is working on new security measures that will allow it to reopen as soon as possible. In the update issued by Contra Costa County Library Saturday night, the county said it will be able to reopen the library on Tuesday because it was able to negotiate an emergency contract to provide a private, armed security guard and patrol car to monitor the parking lot and library property.

The Antioch Library already employs a security officer full-time to patrol inside the library, so this new contract will allow for a second guard to monitor outside the property.

"The Library will also be working with Contra Costa Public Works to repair and reinforce the security fence and to upgrade the security camera system,” said County Librarian Alison McKee in a statement issued Saturday night.

Brooke Converse, the public information officer for Contra Costa County Library, explained that the Contra Costa County Librarian, Alison McKee, made the decision Friday afternoon to close the library because she, "felt like it was getting to a point where we couldn’t continue to put our patrons and our staff in danger until we addressed some additional security protocols."

Ordinarily, when Contra Costa County closes a library, the decision has to go through the Board of Supervisors, but in this case, the County Librarian made the call as it was an "emergency safety related issue," Converse said.

The library is owned and operated by Contra Costa County.

"We do not take closing libraries lightly, it's something we try to avoid at all costs," Converse emphasized.

She said the Antioch Library has seen an escalation of incidents "both in frequency and severity" over the past few months. Those incidents include theft and damage of patron and staff property, vandalism of library property (including setting property on fire outside the library), threats to staff and security, drug activity and use, sexual intercourse in full view of patrons and staff, and bullet casings found int he parking lot, Converse said.

This past week, a staff member's car was vandalized and totaled, which Converse said, "was the incident that spurred the 'last straw' I guess you could say."

Converse also said that it is unprecedented for Contra Costa County to close a library for these reasons.

The county alerted the Antioch City Manager about the decision to close this branch on Friday afternoon, Converse said.

However, Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe wrote a letter to the County Administrator on Friday expressing his concern and shock over the decision.

"According to our city administration, no one in the City of Antioch, including the police chief were informed of any safety concerns by Contra Costa County regarding the library," Thorpe wrote in the letter.

Thorpe said he recognizes the county -- not the city --is responsible for the security of the library, he said, "We would have been more than willing to work with the county regarding any safety concerns at the library, considering it serves so many Antioch residents. "

Antioch Acting Police Chief, Joseph Vigil, told NBC Bay Area that his department was not given any notice about the closing outside of a phone call he got late Friday night. Vigil also noted that since January of 2023, there have been 68 calls for service to the library, including calls for the fire department, police, animal control, and medical calls.

Converse also said the incidents the Antioch Library is experiencing are part of a broader trend.

"These kinds of incidents are not unique to Antioch, I want to make that clear that many of our libraries are dealing with an increase and an uptick of severe, dangerous incidents, and it's happening across the country at libraries," she said.

The American Library Association has noted an "alarming increase" in aggression toward library staff and patrons across the country.

Saturday, Antioch resident Laron Richardson drove up to the Antioch Library expecting to take his son to storytime. Instead, he was met with locked doors and signs alerting him the library was closed.

"I was expecting even though it was raining that it was going to be happening, it’s really unfortunate what’s happening," Richardson said.

"It's really the choice of the people in the community to band together to help this place feel safe enough for the community," he continued.

During the closure of the Antioch Library, people with books to return are asked to take them to the Prewett Library in the Antioch Community Center, Pittsburg Library, or any other Contra Costa County Library.

"You may also hold onto your returns until after the Antioch Library reopens," the library said. "The Library will automatically extend the due dates on your materials."

Bay City News contributed to the report.