https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/04/library-service-to-the-homeless/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=library-service-to-the-homeless A Publication of the Public Library Association Wed, 04 Jan 2017 05:24:15 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/04/library-service-to-the-homeless/#comment-528956 Wed, 04 Jan 2017 05:24:15 +0000 http://publiclibrariesonline.org/?p=2212#comment-528956 Don’t be surprised if you talk to homeless people and are simply unaware of them! I currently know TWO! The first one used to be friends with my daughter when they were younger. This gal just turned 18 a few days ago. Her single mother is severely diabetic and was unable to maintain a home and medication to stay alive. Her mother still works, even though she can’t even feel the bottom of her feet, and she is in severe pain daily. She chooses to only take a narcotic pain medication once each night, instead of three times per day, as advised by her neurologist. Meanwhile, this gal works part-time at a local fast food restaurant. You would never know she has these difficulties. I have yet to see her with a frown on her face or any sort of attitude. She always appears clean.
The other person is a man in his early thirties. Until a few months ago, he had always lived at home, because he struggles with bipolar to the point that he needed a safe place to land at night. But when his older sister lost her job and was unable to pay rent, the family had to separate. I told him at this point that he was probably in the best position of them all, because he was accepted as a resident at the local shelter. They take 80% of his money, and when he has saved enough, they will help him with local resources, so he can live independently. This scares him, however, as he has never lived alone. (I personally have given thought to asking him to be a renter here, when my daughter moves out, if he can afford it.)
Just today I asked him about the hours. He explained that everyone must leave by 8 a.m. I asked where do they go each day, if their job hours are different than this? He mentioned the library, which is what got me reading this article. My question is, if they are thrown out on to the streets, where are they SUPPOSED to go, that is legal?

]]> https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/04/library-service-to-the-homeless/#comment-376560 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 22:34:48 +0000 http://publiclibrariesonline.org/?p=2212#comment-376560 Most homeless don’t use the library and the few that enters the library do so when they need to sleep or use the rest rooms. While the article share some valid points, I am glad that libraries do have policies that prohibits the homeless to utalize the library in other ways other than getting information. Believe it or there are people who has high body odor that uses the library and they are not homeless and us as librarians and other patrons have to put up with their odor. The library is a public institution, and already we have place sanitizers and other disinfectant wipes to help stop the spread of germs from everyone handling and sitting in the public areas. In my opinion, libraries should continue to keep those policies intact which prevent the misconduct from any individual, especially the homeless out of libraries.

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