Windsor library changes weapons policy

The Clearview Library District officially changed its rules Thursday, Sept. 25, to allow patrons to legally carry concealed guns in the library.

The library board voted unanimously Thursday evening to update the district's conduct policy to prohibit "open carrying of firearms and weapons; carrying a concealed firearm with a firearm without a concealed firearm permit."

The "Conduct in the Library" policy had stated that all weapons were banned from the library unless carried by law enforcement.

Last month, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners told the district to change its weapons policy or the pro-gun lobbying group would sue the library. The ultimatum came after Windsor resident Erika Sattler's right to conceal -arry her permitted handgun was violated Aug. 20 when the district's executive director, Ann Kling, asked Sattler — an RMGO employee — to remove the firearm from the Windsor Severance Library or leave.

After the library board postponed a discussion of the issue Aug. 28, the Clearview Library District's attorney contacted RMGO on Aug. 29 and said the district would not stop legally permitted firearms from being conceal-carried in the library.

Windsor resident Francy Henderson told the board Thursday that there shouldn't be guns in libraries. The district also received six written statements voicing similar opinions and two statements urging the library to comply with state law and not restrict patrons from conceal-carrying their firearms.

The library hasn't had anyone test the new policy or any other situations involving guns, except for one day last month when a man made eight harassing phone calls to the Windsor Severance Library that at one point forced the building to be locked down, according to Kling.