Public library staff demand security guards amid San Francisco street violence

San Francisco Public Library workers plan to rally Tuesday, demanding the city provide security guards at all branches to protect staff and patrons amid a rise in dangerous incidents.

Most of the city's 28 library locations lack dedicated security officers, and librarians and other workers say they've been forced to intervene in dangerous situations that sometimes turn physical, according to a Monday press release from Service Employees International Union Local 1021, which represents library workers at the city's public branches. The workers are demanding the change as they negotiate with officials for new contracts.

"There's tension in the air when there is no trained security around to de-escalate situations," said Jessica Choy, a part-time librarian, in the press release. She said at one branch, she recently approached a man who swore at other patrons and then kicked in a glass door.

Choy said having guards at every site "would be a better solution than hoping librarians are able to handle potentially dangerous situations alone."