Los Gatos is faced with a double-edged sword: Town leaders are thrilled that the "new" library is breaking attendance records, but more people using the library has apparently led to more problems.

As a result, the police department plans to hire a part-time community resource officer who would work during peak hours on Mondays through Fridays.

The town council approved spending up to $30,000 for a one-year pilot program that is expected to begin by the time school resumes next month.

A staff report outlining the need for an on site officer notes that "the teen area in particular has experienced an extraordinary increase in use. The disruptions have often required the assistance of the police department, either directly or as advisors to library staff."

Capt. Mike D'Antonio says the program will be a partnership between police and librarians. "There are times when they're overwhelmed with a couple of hundred kids," he said. "So they're spending their time supervising."

D'Antonio hopes to hire a Police Explorer Program member who is currently in college. "She's young enough to relate to the kids and old enough to provide direction," D'Antonio said.

If the Explorer accepts the position, she would work weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. "That's when it's really busy there. She will make it a safe environment and interact with the youth on things like Internet safety and cyber-bullying. It's not just a security position. It's comprehensive," D'Antonio said.


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Interim library director Heidi Long said she and her staff "love having such a vibrant after-school crowd in the library." And she hopes the resource officer will work with other library patrons, too.

"By providing resources for teens and homeless and others in need, we expect this position to have a strong positive impact on the entire library community," Long said. "It allows us to provide extra staffing during our peak hours and also an extra level of support to those who need it. This new position is really aimed at providing a positive and consistent role model and influence for all of our library patrons."

D'Antonio likened the new position to the school resource officer's job that's held by officer Leyton Howard. He goes into the schools and develops relationships with kids as a way of damping down problems, but also to help kids when they have problems.

Funds for the library community officer were allocated when the town council approved the 2013-14 fiscal year budget. The budget is divided by department, with the library's budget noting that attendance at all youth programs, including those for young children, was projected to rise to 18,500 last fiscal year. In 2008-09 youth programs attracted 12,546 patrons.
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