'Disorderly behaviour' cited for library bans

There have been 14 incidents since 2021 which escalated to the point of someone being banned from a library

Disorderly behaviour is the main reason people were banned from libraries across Wiltshire, a freedom of information request has revealed.

The data from Wiltshire Council showed that there were 14 incidents since 2021, which escalated in people being excluded from the county’s libraries.

Of these incidents, 10 involved disorderly behaviour, where the offender was intoxicated and abusive.

There were also four accounts of "inappropriate" behaviour, including one case of harassment.

Inappropriate websites

In another incident, someone accessed “inappropriate websites on library computers".

The latter occurred in Devizes library. Salisbury reported five incidents, and Trowbridge and Chippenham both had three.

According to the council, these bans have varied in length.

There are more than 30 libraries across Wiltshire, where people have access to books, Wi-Fi, public computers and printing facilities.