Public comment at the Seaside Library Board meeting focused on community safety and whether the library could function as a refuge after attendees reported that community members had been detained.

A speaker said, “we've had 11 community members, 11 seaside residents taken by ice,” and urged the library to make itself a safer place for people who may be at risk. The speaker made the remark during the public-comment portion and framed it as an urgent community concern.

Board members discussed the legal and practical limits on designating the library a sanctuary. One board member summarized the board’s legal constraint: “The way I interpret it… we can only designate spaces that are off limits to the public,” and added that public library spaces are typically public and that restricting access could carry consequences. Another participant warned that if staff opened a private area to shelter someone, the person authorizing that decision would need to accept the ramifications.

The assistant director noted existing mitigations: staff-only signage has been added for back-of-house areas as an indicator and potential barrier, and the library already provides community information resources. Board members suggested inviting representatives from local nonprofits—cited in the meeting as El Centro and other groups—to speak at a future meeting about practical support and referrals for affected families.

Why it matters: the remarks link a local enforcement concern to public access to community resources and place the board at the intersection of library service and public-safety/immigration issues. The board did not adopt any formal policy at the meeting; instead, members agreed to reach out to community organizations and schedule discussion as an agenda item.