Lewisham Libraries Experience Alarming Increase in Abuse and Threats
Verbal and threatening abuse constituted more than half of all health and safety incidents reported across Lewisham's libraries between October 2024 and September 2025, according to recent council data. The South London borough witnessed a significant 10.2 percent increase in the total number of health and safety incidents during this period, with abusive behavior accounting for a staggering 57.4 percent of all reported cases.
Catford Library Emerges as Primary Location for Incidents
During a health and safety committee meeting held on February 3, Sidra Hill-Reid, Head of Community Education and Cultural Assets, revealed that the majority of these troubling incidents are concentrated at Catford Library. Many of these occurrences are directly linked to persistent anti-social behavior that has been plaguing the facility.
Ms. Hill-Reid explained to committee members: "Library staff do deal with an increased amount of ASB, whether it be around using the toilets and them being misused for drug use - security staff and library staff will try and intervene and say, look, you know, because we end up with the toilets being vandalised and then shut to the public and they're one of the only public toilets in the area for people."
Council Implements Enhanced Safety Measures
The council report detailed several concerning incidents, including one human bite incident and one assault by a pupil or client on another pupil or client - both recorded for the first time during this reporting period. Assaults by members of the public on library staff remained consistent with the previous year's figures from October 2023 to September 2024.
In response to these challenges, the council is taking additional security measures. Enhanced CCTV monitoring is being implemented, and identification procedures for offenders will soon commence. The library service continues to utilize its established Banning Policy alongside existing Byelaws to maintain order and safety.
Balancing Safety with Accessibility in Public Spaces
Ms. Hill-Reid emphasized the critical importance of maintaining safe environments while preserving libraries as accessible public resources: "Libraries are one of the only remaining places that are free at the point of access and we view them as Andrew Carnegie did, as the people's palaces. They are the only place people can go to to just be, to read a book, to engage in some form of creativity, to have digital access, to get information, and we don't want to lose that."
She added: "But people do need to respect the library Byelaws so that they can continue to be free, engaging, welcoming environments for everybody."
Positive Experiences Amidst Challenges
Councilor Laura Cunningham, who serves on the health and safety committee, offered a contrasting perspective based on her personal experiences: "We take our grandchild now to the Rhyme Time [at Catford Library] once a week, and it is absolutely delightful and it's full of really lovely little tots joining in with a really great officer from Lewisham Council running it."
Cunningham continued: "Every time I've been there, it is full of people who are enjoying the library and enjoying the books. So if you go at that time on a Monday morning, you don't see ASB. The staff are really lovely and the loos are clean, so I don't want people who might be watching this at home to think, well, that sounds an absolute dump. It absolutely isn't."
The library service remains committed to enforcing safety protocols while ensuring these vital community spaces remain welcoming and accessible to all residents who wish to utilize their resources and services.
