A vital library in the St. Paul community is set to close at the end of this year for safety renovations, but not everyone is on board with the change.
In the 2025 budget, the city council set aside $793,000 to renovate the library and increase staffing, but there’s disagreement on how to use the funds.
The Rondo Community Library has been a pillar in St. Paul for years. It quickly became a trusted gathering space for some residents, but some community members expressed that the area has its challenges.
RELATED: St. Paul Police have been called to the Rondo Library 262 times this year
“Our community members have seen people who have chronic drug experiences on that corner. We have seen people who have psychotic episodes inside of the libraries,” Anika Bowie, St. Paul City Council member and Public Safety Committee chair, said.
The council is allocating thousands of dollars to renovate the library, with safety top of mind.
RELATED: Safety concerns at St. Paul’s Rondo Community Library causes changes to its hours of operation
Library leadership is now drafting a plan to relocate the front desk and bathrooms, enhancing the space’s security.
Residents told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS off-camera that there’s constant drug use in and around the building, and the changes are a good idea.
“This has been not only just a library problem, but really just a societal problem,” Bowie said.
“Our concern is that the staff who work at Rondo, who know the building and know the community best, have not been involved in this process from the very beginning,” Isaac Mielke, president of AFSCME Local 1842, said in a phone interview. “The problem isn’t the location of the bathrooms. The problem is the opioid crisis and the housing crisis, and this nearly $1 million is better spent by the city to invest in the city-wide opioid response.”
The AFSCME Local 1842 union represents some Rondo Community Library staff members. Mielke said his members are not on board with the plan.
“Closing this library will really hurt this community, and a lot of patrons will be left without library services,” Mielke said.
Bowie held a town hall a few weeks ago about the project. She said she’s pushing for more opportunities for the community to weigh in before the closure.
“I am very firm about that plan needs to be clear, needs to be solid, and needs to be engaged with the community and driven by the community,” she said.
During the closure, library services will be located at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center.
There is no set date for when the library will close later this year.
