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Butte County officials announced the reopening of five Butte County Library branches, including Biggs, Durham, Gridley, Oroville, and Paradise, with immediate security upgrades following the June 22 shooting at the Butte County Library Chico branch. While the Chico library will remain closed, officials say branches are resuming operations to restore vital community resources and support the county’s collective recovery.
Out of an abundance of caution and to reassure the public, the county is working alongside a vendor, Armed Guard, to provide standing, unarmed security personnel at every open location during public hours. Butte County Assistant Chief Administrator and acting County Chief Administrator Meegan Jesse confirmed that the funding for these services will be drawn from the county budget, with an upcoming adjustment to be presented to the Butte County Board of Supervisors. Mental health counseling has also been established for all staff members and will remain available for as long as necessary.
“Every indication is that this was a very tragic, one-off event. There is no reason to believe that the libraries weren’t safe. We put in extra safety measures because we know this is scary for our community, for our staff, and us. Libraries are really important community spaces and we look forward to welcoming people back into them,” Jesse told KRCR.
Jesse noted that the county will continue to evaluate security needs moving forward while maintaining standard safety training for all library personnel, which includes active shooter training. However, county leadership emphasized that the incident was an isolated, unpredictable act committed by a single individual, and they do not believe any ongoing threats exist toward the other county branches.
Historically, the Chico branch utilized security services over the last five years to mitigate property damage and other challenges occurring outside of operational hours, according to Bill Connelly, Butte County District 1 Supervisor. He noted that prior to Monday’s shooting, there had been no identified need for standing on-site guard services.
“The safety and well-being of our patrons and employees is one of our highest priorities and will continue to be. It is very safe, we believe, for our patrons to return. This is a one-off evil thing that was committed by an individual. We don’t feel that there’s a threat to any of the other branches. Our employees are taking this pretty well considering the trauma they’re placed under. And again, we’re going to keep providing the resources they need for that,” Connelly said.
Connelly also commended the heroic actions of the library staff during the incident, noting that employees successfully utilized their emergency training to herd numerous people to safety. He credited the Chico Police Department for their rapid response, stating that law enforcement arrived on the scene exceptionally fast to neutralize the threat.
Officials explained that the closure of the Chico branch aligns with previously scheduled renovations for the facility, and Chico library-users will still be able to access services through alternative methods and locations. Misty Wright, Butte County Director of Libraries, says activities at county branches will resume as normal, including youth literacy events like the “Baby’s Love Books” program and story times. Additionally, free meals for children 18 and under will continue through the “Lunch at the Library” program, alongside public outreach events.
“We want to get out there. We want to see our patrons. We want to show everybody that we’re strong and just like this whole community, we’re very strong. Our staff is strong, and we’re here for everybody,” Wright concluded.
