The Mataura Library is only open until 2.30pm due to some unruly teens. Photo: Google Maps
A Southland library has been forced to close earlier in the day, after staff and customers were threatened and verbally abused by teenagers.
There have been ongoing issues of teenagers loitering outside Mataura Library and Service Centre after school for months, intimidating staff and customers.
The Gore District Council decided last week to close the library at 2.30pm until further notice, saying the teens were becoming more intimidating and threatening.
The librarian and customers felt unsafe, the council said.
Gore District Libraries manager Emma Sherie said the behaviour was unacceptable.
The library had increased the number of staff on duty from one to two in the short term, she said.
Local council, community board, police and rūnanga were meeting this week to try to fix the anti-social behaviour from the teenagers, believed to aged between 14 and 19.
Gore District Mayor Ben Bell, Mataura Community Board chairperson Nicky Coats and Mataura ward councillor Nevile Phillips met with staff on Monday.
Coats said the community support for the librarian had been overwhelming.
"This is a community problem, and as a community, we need to find a solution," she said.
The teenagers, who were not in school, hung out in the area where the school buses dropped off their friends. Then they all loitered in and around the building.
The library was considering possible solutions for its wifi to discourage teens, which was provided by a third party.
Sherie said they had been told it could not easily be turned on and off.
"We have a lot of customers who rely on our wifi, so it's important we retain this service," she said.