Safety at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is not only a priority to students, but to parents who bring their children to the Children’s Room located on the first floor.
Some unwelcome guests are checked through the system and a few of them end up being current or past sex offenders.
The designated area for children and young teens allows their imagination and creativity to be indulged seven days a week.
The Children’s Room has three connecting rooms that include different sections, whether it is fiction, non-fiction, a computer lab or an open reading space, all are there for the children to enjoy.
Syed Faizullah, a father from Tracy, sat hunched over in a cubicle meant for children doing his own work as he kept a close eye on his son, Nayel, who was playing with toys nearby.
In 2016, an attack was perpetrated on the second floor of the King Library by a man attempting to assault a woman in the restroom. She resisted the attack with the help of a bystander, according to a news article published by Inside Higher Ed, an online news publication for colleges and faculties.
The article further explains that the attack in the bathroom was handled “almost immediately” by San Jose State University Police.
Priya Agrawal, a mom from San Jose, said she comes to the space three or four times a week with her son when he is not in class at the San Jose State preschool.
“I always see security at the entrance and there is only one door at the front so I feel safe,” said Agrawal.
Agrawal said that homeless do wander into the center, but the staff is always quick to direct any wanderers out. However, her concerns stem from walking through downtown with her son to get to the library.
“Once, it felt as if I was being followed and someone was watching my son so I just grabbed him closer and walked as fast as I could,” said Agrawal.
Elizabeth Nolan, the senior librarian mentioned how closely they regulate the entrance.
“We talk and get to know the teens that come into the space, so we become familiar with the regulars,” said Nolan
Above the Children’s Room is the teens and youth area developed by middle and high school students to fit the wants and interests of their own age group.
The librarians working in the Children’s Room have a strict policy to guarantee the safety of the children inside the designated area.
The policy states that anyone over the age of 18 can visit the Children’s Room to use the books, seek assistance from staff or to attend a program with staff’s approval.
Other regulations make sure there are no unattended children or that staff alone are handling unsupervised children. If the parent or guardian of the child cannot be reached, law enforcement officials will be involved.
Nancy Macias, marketing and communications manager for the San Jose Public Library said, “We make sure it is a safe space by training and making sure our staff is proactive and take any measures to keep a welcoming space.”
The staff monitors for any suspicious people who raise concerns toward the safety of the children. If presented with a dilemma, they would take necessary precautions to notify the parents, according to Macias.
A security guard at the library who spoke on the condition of anonymity, mentioned that multiple times within a week, security sends away people with lingering eyes or even homeless people who stumble inside.
