RE: Evening hours staffing

[Karen Ellis]

This is a message from CTLS-L. Selecting "Reply" will send a message to the originator. Selecting "Reply to All" will send a message to the entire list. --------------------------------------------------------- Yikes! I agree with Jennifer—I have refused to allow staff to be alone in a building at any time, especially evenings.  This is hazardous for the staff (imagine the worst—someone alone assaulted, etc.) and puts the city at risk for liability.  A second person is both security and a witness should a staff person be accused of some impropriety.    There are no happy solutions for this problem.  Shutting down is bad, but the alternative possibilities are worse.  I have worked in Library buildings late at night when 1. Someone brought a gun into the building and decided to try it out; 2. Staff developed a medical emergency (me, actually, I went into labor); 3. Teenagers decided to have a fist fight—one pulling a knife; 4. Stalkers decided to A. follow young girls around the Library,  B. Flash girls in the library,  C. follow staff around the Library.   If I had been alone, outcomes would have quite different.   Karen Ellis Library Director Taylor Public Library 400 Porter Street Taylor, TX 76574 512-352-3434 From: Sue Lilley [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 10:46 AM To: 'ctls-l' Subject: Evening hours staffing   Do any of you schedule hours when there is only one staff person (no volunteer) in the library? We just lost the person who has been our evening volunteer and are facing a scheduling situation.   Sue Lilley Lampasas Public Library