How LIBRARIANS are now America's frontline workers - and say they're facing burnout from stress of coping with violent and 'traumatic' encounters amid homelessness, migrant, opioid and culture war crises

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Librarians in cities across the country have found themselves thrust onto the frontline and are now forced to grapple with issues ranging from homelessness and migration to the opioid epidemic and cultural conflicts.

As librarians navigate through the new complexities of their daily duties, a concerning trend has emerged - a surge in burnout attributed to the stress of managing what they describe as 'traumatic' encounters.

The pandemic has intensified the strain, with library staff reporting a significant deterioration in conditions since 2020. 

Shockingly, in recent reports, some librarians reveal an alarming rise in verbal attacks, including racial, sexual, or gender-based hostility in states including California, Colorado and Oregon.

Librarians are now finding themselves on the frontline of America's homelessness, migrant, opioid and culture war crises

Library assistant Martha Jones, who has been working at Central Library and the northwest Multnomah County Library for over fifteen years told KGW that the two branches had 79 'security incidents' last year

A concerning trend has emerged - a surge in burnout attributed to the stress of managing what they describe as 'traumatic' encounters

People, including members of the homeless community, wait for the Richard Riordan Central Library to open on a Sunday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles on August 6, 2023

Librarians in Oakland, California , revealed that they now feel more unsafe than ever - and deal with verbal abuse and dangerous confrontations have become a part of their job duties. (Pictured: A person pushes a cart along Southwest 3rd Avenue in Portland, Oregon. Jan. 2024)

Experts explain that libraries have become hotspots for the homeless, migrants and drug addicts because they are free, heated in the winter and have bathrooms and water. 

But as a result librarians in Oakland, California, said they now feel more unsafe than ever due to verbal abuse and dangerous confrontations.

A new report from the Oakland Public Library obtained by The Oaklandside, identified the library's commitment to 'inclusivity' as a primary factor contributing to the mental and emotional strain experienced by librarians.

Consultant Joseph Maurer highlighted that the library's commitment to inclusivity, widely endorsed by the local community, actually imposes 'enormous pressure' on librarians - and pushes them into vulnerable situations involving mentally and emotionally unstable visitors.

The June 2022 report by an Oakland-based mediation consultant, was conducted in order to investigate the safety concerns among staff and potentially identify security and policy improvements.

Maurer, who began his research after a meeting with Library Director Jamie Turbak, aimed to foster a culture of safety at the Oakland Public Library.

He spoke with nearly 50 library employees at various levels throughout the report.

'The Oakland Public Library is at an inflection point and needs to decide upon its path for the future or its path may be decided for it,' Maurer wrote. 

The report reveals low morale within Oakland's libraries, with many staff members feeling increasingly unsafe, lacking support from upper management, and inadequately trained to handle individuals facing mental health and other crises.

The library staff interviewed also expressed a deterioration of conditions during the pandemic, with some reporting an increase of verbal attacks based on their racial, sexual, or gender identity.

While Oakland Public Library staff are passionate about their work, the report states that they are grappling with burnout as they continuously provide untrained social work to guests needing resources beyond the library's current offerings, as well as the basic duties of a librarian.

According to the report obtained by The Oaklandside, library staff expressed being 'passionate about service at the library but … overwhelmed with a feeling that in the current environment, ‘anything goes’ in terms of patron behavior.” 

A new report from the Oakland Public Library obtained by The Oaklandside, identified the library's commitment to 'inclusivity' as a primary factor contributing to the mental and emotional strain experienced by librarians

In January 2023, librarians in Oregon also expressed increasing burnout due to verbal and physical abuse they are facing, especially since the pandemic

In January 2023, librarians in Oregon also expressed increasing burnout due to verbal and physical abuse, especially since the pandemic. 

In the report, librarians shared the dangerous encounters they face at work including harassment, public nudity and violence involving weapons. 

County auditors said people dealing with homelessness and mental health crises across Multnomah County in Oregon were increasingly turning to libraries. 

But the centers, along with their staff, aren't equipped or trained to meet their needs.

Library assistant Martha Jones, who has been working at Central Library and the northwest Multnomah County Library for over fifteen years told KGW that the two branches had 79 'security incidents' last year. 

'I feel stressed because I have to see people who are living on the edge, and we don't have enough services to refer people to,' Jones told KGW. 

Multnomah County Audit Director Caroline Zavitkovski, said library staff were threatened with knives and forced to respond to drug overdoses. 

'There's some pretty serious security incidents that have happened at the library,' Caroline Zavitkovski. 'Morale is pretty low.'

The audit emphasized ways to solve these issues such as boosting staff numbers and strengthening the security-response protocol, especially at times where the incidents are at highest risk of occurring. 

State librarian Wendy Cornelisen wrote at the time: 'Library work is important. It's also exhausting, falling upon library workers whose training and education may ill prepare them for such emotional labor.'

In Colorado, Denver Public Library was the first to hire in-house social workers to help patrons access food, jobs and housing, The Denver Post reported. 

Between 2019 and January 2024, Denver police responded to nearly 2,900 calls across all library locations which included suicide attempts, theft, assault, overdoses and welfare checks, according to department data. 

Elizabeth Wrenn-Estes, who began her career as a librarian in the 1990s and now teaches youth services library courses in California, told The Denver Post: 'The job has really changed as society has gone into this period where librarians are on the firing line.

'It is stressful to work in a library now. There is no getting around that. You are in jeopardy for all kinds of trauma as part of your normal day. As scary as it can be, you need to know that your job does include that.'

In January of 2022, a library security guard was attacked by a dog while trying to administer Narcan to its unresponsive owner in San Francisco.

Security guards at the city's Main Library noticed the man slumped over a computer kiosk with his dog repeatedly barking beside him. 

Kate Patterson, a spokesperson for the library, said the dog 'was not on a leash and was exhibiting aggressive behavior.'

When the guards approached the man to determine if he had overdosed on opioids and needed Narcan, the dog 'would not let them near him,' Patterson told KTVU.

Witnesses captured the harrowing moment the pit bull lunged at one of the guards, grabbing his arm in its jaws and pulling him to the ground. 

Meanwhile, librarians are also at the center of a cultural battle focused on banning books some people find inappropriate. 

In October 2023, public libraries were accused by campaigners of 'censorship' after a report revealed they have far fewer gender-critical books than trans-activist titles on their shelves.

This is despite the gender-critical books being twice as likely to be out on loan than titles supporting trans rights, suggesting the stocks do not match demand from borrowers.

The study comes as book banning reached record high levels this year following often conservative-led efforts to remove sexually explicit and LGBTQ+ content. 

As parents and educators fight over book bans, five states enacted criminal punishments for librarians who allow children to access 'obscene' materials - with a dozen states considering similar actions in May 2023. 

The laws subject librarians to significant penalties, including imprisonment and hefty fines, for providing sexually explicit, obscene or books deemed 'harmful' to children.

At least seven state legislatures have passed these laws over the past two years, with six of them doing so in the last two months, although the governors of Idaho and North Dakota vetoed similar legislation.

New state laws have been enacted that could subject librarians to significant penalties, including imprisonment and hefty fines, for providing sexually explicit, obscene or books deemed 'harmful' to children

The laws are pending in nine other states but so far there have been no instances in which a school staffer has been charged under the new laws.

Around a dozen states have also considered more than 20 similar bills this year alone with approximately half of them expecting to be reintroduced in 2024.

But those seeking to ban book bans from library shelves may have to think again.

Academics have found that barring risqué titles from schools and public libraries gets them attention and more eyeballs.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and George Mason University found that the circulation of banned books grew on average 12 percent compared to similar, non-banned titles.