Overdoses, attempted abductions, machete attacks, and sexual assault. This isn’t a list of charges issued for a wanted criminal; these are just some of the personal experiences being shared by library workers in Saskatchewan.  

CUPE Saskatchewan President, Kent Peterson, says as the number of vulnerable people increases in the province, libraries are being transformed into a hub for people in need. 

Peterson says library workers are being forced to take on additional roles that they don’t have training for, such as security guard, addictions expert, and mental health counsellor. 

“There have been instances in the past where one of our members had to fight off an attempted abduction. An individual tried to put her in the trunk of his car.”

Peterson joined the Official Opposition in Saskatoon on Tuesday, calling on the province to boost library funding in the upcoming provincial budget. They are also calling for a long-term strategy to expand community supports, so social disorder can stop being downloaded onto library workers.  

“The reality is, cities like Saskatoon, like Regina, have been forced to deal with a downloading of costs onto them from the provincial government, so their resources are stretched.”

Peterson says not only are these conditions unsuitable for library workers; they’re a danger to library patrons. He expects similar circumstances will play a factor in discouraging people from visiting the new Saskatoon library once it opens, as well.