There are some issues at the library that cannot be softened with humor or reframed with clever words. Homelessness is one of those issues — and its impact on the library is real and growing.
Like many downtown properties in Grants Pass, the library is experiencing the challenges of maintaining safety and security amid the increase in homelessness and the lack of housing alternatives. This issue impacts us, as it does the rest of our community.
At the Grants Pass branch, the reality of homelessness is visible on our doorstep, heightened by the city’s sanctioned resting site located just across the street. In August, staff and volunteers logged 20 incidents: medical emergencies, altercations between patrons, extended bathroom use, loitering, camping, service animal disputes, illegal drug use, and after-hours confrontations. Each incident takes staff time and attention away from their core work of serving readers and learners.
Let me pause here to say that raising this concern does not mean other aspects of library service are any less valued or successful. Quite the opposite. I want to commend our staff and volunteers for their excellence in service despite the many challenges of 2025. This year, we’ve seen increases in volunteer hours, program participation, summer reading outcomes, and materials checked out — all while moving forward with plans for a new downtown Grants Pass library.
It’s important to state this at the outset because too often we frame things as either bad or good, inclusion versus exclusion. The truth is that we can hold both realities at once — and that is exactly what’s happening at the library.
Patrons feel this impact, too. One longtime library user wrote to a board member after returning a book and finding “15 or so unhoused people loitering outside in the grass.” She told us, “I’ve always felt safe, but today I felt I needed to lock my car door and take my purse with me. If I were a young mom with children, I think I would stop going to the library.” Her words reflect what many are feeling — unease about safety, especially for families.
While the library faces the impacts of homelessness like many downtown businesses, we are also a public service — and by law, we serve everyone. Access to the library is not determined by how someone dresses or where they sleep at night. People who are unhoused are part of our community.
I have personally been both threatened and thanked by people who appear unhoused. We approach everyone with respect, and we require respect in return by following our conduct policy.
This month, we are in the research phase of updating several policies to clarify expectations for patrons and strengthen our ability to keep facilities safe. These changes are currently under advisement by our legal counsel, the Special Districts Association of Oregon (SDAO), and the library board. Because Oregon has strict loitering laws that limit how public entities can restrict people in shared spaces, these changes are pending review to ensure compliance.
Among the proposed updates are clearer prohibitions on tobacco and vaping anywhere on library property, including outdoor areas. Rules for library grounds will also include that “day camping” — defined as prolonged resting, sleeping, or setting up temporary living spaces such as bedding, chairs, or tied animals — is not permitted. Bathroom use is also clarified: restrooms are for bathroom use only, not for washing, shaving, or bathing, and are intended for patrons actively using library services. In addition, a new animals policy clarifies that only trained service animals, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will be allowed inside the library and must always remain under control of their handlers.
To be clear, we’ve always enforced our conduct policies and worked with law enforcement to issue trespass notices when necessary. But in recent months, the issues have escalated to the point that we have contracted with a private security company to serve onsite 40 hours each week during library open hours. It is a costly solution — but you cannot put a price on the safety of staff, volunteers, and patrons.
Northwest Defense Contracting began providing security services at the Grants Pass branch in September. The contract will remain in place for as long as necessary. Our security guard is friendly, professional, and here for the safety of everyone who uses the library. All we ask is that patrons follow the rules, so the library can remain a welcoming place for all. Within the first three days of service, staff reported significant relief and a renewed ability to focus on their primary responsibilities. To sustain this service, we have requested financial support from the Josephine Community Library Foundation.
Ultimately, libraries are a reflection of their communities. While we cannot solve homelessness, the library can remain a place where people come together to learn and consider new ideas. My hope is that, even in the midst of these challenges, the library continues to be a space where we face hard truths honestly, while adhering to our principles of respect, safety, and the belief that knowledge can bring us closer to solutions.
Between the Pages is a monthly column written by Kate Lasky, library director for Josephine Community Library since 2009. To send comments or questions, email klasky@josephinelibrary.org.
BY KATE LASKY
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GRANTS PASS DAILY COURIER | September 2025