The Hamilton Public Library is pitching a new check-in system at Central branch after months of struggling to stop people selling or using drugs inside.

If approved by the board at a meeting Wednesday night, all visitors to the downtown branch will be required to present their library cards or passes to be allowed in, says a report by CEO and chief librarian Paul Takala.

“The protocol is designed to ensure people visiting Central can … use the library, provided they are willing to identify themselves and be accountable for their actions within the library,” the report says.

The pilot project would run from March 16 to May 17, with staff evaluating its effectiveness along the way. 

It’s one of several steps Central has taken this winter to balance being a welcoming space for all — including people experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health challenges — while also protecting the safety of staff and other patrons. 

“People who rely on our services, including families with children, are being prevented from visiting because of well-founded concerns that they will witness open drug consumption, extreme intoxication and overdoses,” says the report. 

“There is a small but real risk that they might be accidentally exposed to the toxic substances.” 

Security guards, community outreach workers and social workers are already on site much of the time, but recently Central has cut back its hours when they’re not. 

It did consider closing for some weeks or months, but decided to instead try the library card check first, the report says. 

‘Unnecessary barriers,’ say opponents

The Hamilton Encampment Support Network is opposed to the library card checks and is encouraging people to attend the board meeting Wednesday to voice concerns. 

“The Central library plays a vital role in the community, especially for members of our community who do not have access to safe, affordable and accessible housing,” said the grassroots advocacy group in a statement on social media Monday. 

“This proposed safety protocol creates more unnecessary barriers to accessing public spaces that everyone deserves to use. Cutting hours, closing on Sundays, and restricting access to cardholders will not solve the housing crisis or the closure of harm reduction services in the downtown core.” 

McMaster University associate Prof. Nicole Dalmer said frustration with the library is “misguided.” 

“The library has tried everything possible before turning to this [card check],” said Dalmer, with the Department of Health, Aging and Society. 

“It’s not that they’re really wanting to do it. They just have no other option at this point.” 

Social work services are ‘crucial’

Libraries across North America are experiencing similar challenges as they encounter the same problems their communities are facing, Dalmer said.

They’ve taken different approaches to curb the impacts of crises like homelessness and mental health, she said.

But ultimately, change needs to come from governments, Dalmer said.

“I think this is an opportunity for library leaders to be really loud about the challenges they’re facing to hopefully draw in more attention,” she said.

After a fatal stabbing in 2023, Winnipeg’s Millennium Library installed walk-through metal detectors and began issuing short-term bans, among other measures. 

A Thunder Bay, Ont., library closed for months last year after a worker was assaulted. It changed its layout and hired security guards before reopening in September. 

This month, libraries in Saint John, N.B., have asked the city for more security, after a spike in safety-related incidents. 

A recent study, co-authored by Dalmer, looked at the impact of Hamilton’s Central branch’s social work program, which began in 2022. 

The branch hired two part-time social workers to support library staff and assist vulnerable community members. Other Canadian libraries have taken similar measures. 

Dalmer interviewed staff, leadership, community partners and 17 people who used the service.

“It has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said. “It’s such a crucial service to be able to offer in a library. Social workers really meet a lot of the challenges.” 

She said the community needs are so high at Central that it would benefit from more permanent social work, if the funding was made available. 

How card checks will work

If approved on Wednesday, library staff will check in visitors with security guards and peer support and community workers there in a “supportive” role, says the report. 

Residents can scan their library card, or sign up for one with government-issued identification. Visitors to the city can get a temporary pass.

The library also offers a low-barrier card option that only requires a letter from a shelter, a student card or a utility bill.

Staff will check if people trying to enter are on the library’s suspended members list, says the report. If they are, they will be turned away.

The information from scanned cards will not be stored, and people’s exit won’t be monitored. 

Children and teens are not required to check in.