Skateboard Assault At Worcester Library Keeps Branches Closed Friday

WORCESTER, MA — All Worcester Public Library branches will be closed Friday after a patron assaulted a staff member with a skateboard on Thursday afternoon at the main branch downtown.

According to city officials, the patron was arrested after the incident. The staff member was seriously hurt, but the injuries "are not believed to be critical," a city spokesperson said. The library closed early after the incident.

Friday's closure will allow library and city leaders and staff to meet and discuss the incident.

"The safety and security of all library employees and patrons is of the utmost importance. The administration has worked closely with library leadership to meet the changing needs of patrons and users of the Worcester Public Library, including the creation of a community resources department, which has been staffed with a community liaison, two security officers, and a social worker," City Manager Eric Batista said in a new release Thursday. "In addition, staff has received training on trauma informed de-escalation techniques. That said, violence is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. The Worcester Public Library will remain an open and welcoming place for all members of the community, but this sacred space and those who operate it must be treated with respect, honor, and dignity. The incident remains under investigation."

A library block party scheduled for Saturday at the main downtown branch will go on as planned.