Homeless patrons … or problem? By Christine Edison LIS 770 Spring 2009 Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle Michael Morgan brings his shopping cart of

HomelesHomeless s

patrons patrons … or … or

problemproblem??By Christine EdisonBy Christine Edison

LIS 770 Spring 2009LIS 770 Spring 2009

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Michael Macor/San Francisco ChronicleMichael Morgan brings his shopping cart of books to Tenderloin residents of San Francisco twice a week. (“A Novel Idea: Small Tenderloin brings its books to the streets after-school Library on Wheels Brings Books to Homeless People,” San Francisco Chronicle, Aug. 30, 2000)

Who’s homeless?Who’s homeless? Approximately Approximately

248,000 homeless 248,000 homeless families in U.S. on families in U.S. on any given night*any given night*

600,000 homeless 600,000 homeless families and 1.35 families and 1.35 million children million children homeless each homeless each year*year*

In 2005, 13.3% of the In 2005, 13.3% of the U.S. population, or U.S. population, or 38,231,521 million 38,231,521 million people, lived in people, lived in poverty*poverty*

Map from the National Alliance to End

Homelessness, www.endhomelessness.org.

*Facts from “*Facts from “Why Are People Why Are People Homeless? NCH Fact Sheet #1,” National Homeless? NCH Fact Sheet #1,” National Coalition for the Homeless Web siteCoalition for the Homeless Web site

Who’s homeless?Who’s homeless? Approximately 10 percent Approximately 10 percent

of homeless population of homeless population (124,000) is (124,000) is “chronically “chronically homeless”homeless”**

Study of homeless people Study of homeless people with mental illness with mental illness showed they used showed they used $40,000 in public services $40,000 in public services each year*each year*

Cost of providing housing Cost of providing housing to these people $15,000 to these people $15,000 cheaper per year than cheaper per year than having them live on the having them live on the street*street*

Photo from “End Homelessness,” a web site section on www.change.org.

*Facts from the National Alliance to End Homelessness

Why do they visit the Why do they visit the library?library?

Public spacePublic space

Welcomes Welcomes everyoneeveryone

FreeFree

Entertainment Entertainment

Comfortable Comfortable place to sitplace to sit

Internet/e-Internet/e-mailmail

Michael Macor/San Francisco ChronicleKaren Taylor and Monty Flippen searched through books from the Roving Library, a mobile library for homeless people in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. (“A Novel Idea: Small Tenderloin brings its books to the streets after-school Library on Wheels Brings Books to Homeless People,” Aug. 30, 2000)



What’s the problem?What’s the problem? Not everyone who is homeless is a problem patron.Not everyone who is homeless is a problem patron.

Studies suggest about Studies suggest about 10 percent of people with 10 percent of people with

serious psychiatric disordersserious psychiatric disorders, almost all of whom are , almost all of whom are

untreated, untreated, are the ones who become homeless, are the ones who become homeless,

violent, incarcerated, and cause most of the violent, incarcerated, and cause most of the

disturbances in our communitiesdisturbances in our communities.* .*

The majority of individuals with serious psychiatric The majority of individuals with serious psychiatric

disorders use public libraries appropriately without disorders use public libraries appropriately without

causing problems.* causing problems.*

*From “Problems Associated with Mentally Ill Individuals In Public Libraries.” by E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., Rosanna Esposito and Jeffrey Geller, M.D., in Public Libraries (March/April 2009)

How would you respond?How would you respond? On January 16, 2007, in Roseburg, Oregon, On January 16, 2007, in Roseburg, Oregon, an “area transient”an “area transient”

diagnosed with schizophrenia diagnosed with schizophrenia severely beat a sixty-two-year-old public severely beat a sixty-two-year-old public library employeelibrary employee when she told him the library was “closing early due when she told him the library was “closing early due to hazardous weather.”*to hazardous weather.”*

On January 30, 2007, in Hillsboro, Oregon, On January 30, 2007, in Hillsboro, Oregon, a man diagnosed with a man diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia stabbed another man in the backparanoid schizophrenia stabbed another man in the back as he worked as he worked at a computer in a public library because he “thought the man was at a computer in a public library because he “thought the man was staring at him.”* staring at him.”*

Two homeless men got into a fightTwo homeless men got into a fight outside the Schaumburg, Illinois outside the Schaumburg, Illinois Public Library recently; Public Library recently; one man was stabbed six timesone man was stabbed six times and left beside and left beside the book drop.**the book drop.**

A mother complains that A mother complains that she won’t bring her daughter into the libraryshe won’t bring her daughter into the library because because some rough-looking men are smoking outside the front doorsome rough-looking men are smoking outside the front door..*From “Problems Associated with Mentally Ill Individuals In Public Libraries.” by E. Fuller Torrey,

M.D., Rosanna Esposito and Jeffrey Geller, M.D., in Public Libraries (March/April 2009).

**From “Downturn Puts New Stresses on Libraries,” New York Times, April 1, 2009.

How would you respond?How would you respond? Whose needs are most important?Whose needs are most important?

How can you avoid future problems?How can you avoid future problems?

Can you avoid lawsuits?Can you avoid lawsuits?

Should you try to get the homeless people to leave?Should you try to get the homeless people to leave?

Is there another way to handle these situations? Is there another way to handle these situations? (Could (Could systems thinkingsystems thinking help?) help?)

How could the library address this community need?How could the library address this community need?

How much would addressing this issue cost?How much would addressing this issue cost?

Four stepsFour steps Create a safe environmentCreate a safe environment

Get to know homeless patronsGet to know homeless patrons

Treat homeless patrons as patron Treat homeless patrons as patron groupgroup

Advocate for homeless in Advocate for homeless in communitycommunity

First step: Safe First step: Safe environmentenvironment

Policy based not Policy based not on looks but on looks but behaviorbehavior

Behavior policyBehavior policy Body odorBody odor Noise levelNoise level Large parcelsLarge parcels SleepingSleeping Washing in bathroomsWashing in bathrooms Other behaviorsOther behaviors

Securing the buildingSecuring the building Theft issuesTheft issues Security walk-throughsSecurity walk-throughs Assuring other patronsAssuring other patrons

Peter Wynn Thompson/The New York Times

Rosalie Bork, a librarian at Arlington Heights Public Library in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is seeing more stress on the job as a result of the recession. (April 1, 2009, “Downturn Puts New Stresses on Libraries”)

First step: Safe First step: Safe environmentenvironment

PlusesPluses Makes staff Makes staff

and other patrons and other patrons feel safefeel safe

Homeless people Homeless people become someone become someone else’s problemelse’s problem

MinusesMinuses Possible lawsuitsPossible lawsuits Cost of security Cost of security

measuresmeasures Needs of Needs of

homeless patrons homeless patrons not metnot met

Andy Rogers/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Tiberious Shapiro takes a look at Reader’s Digest in the “Living Room” area of the Seattle Central Library. Shapiro says the downtown library is his favorite place to pass the time before homeless shelters open. (from “New Library A Haven for Homeless,” Nov. 29, 2006)

Second step: Get to know Second step: Get to know themthem

Securing Securing the buildingthe building Security knows Security knows

names of regular names of regular patronspatrons

Staff understands Staff understands range of range of behaviorsbehaviors

Can call for Can call for support if support if problems ariseproblems arise

Procedures in Procedures in place to deal with place to deal with issuesissues

Andy Rogers/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Security officer Christopher Hogan chats with Kevin Vanderhoef, who had nodded off at the Seattle Public Library after spending a night on the street. Vanderhoef was reminded that there is no sleeping allowed at the library. Security personnel know the names of the homeless regulars. (from “New Library A Haven for Homeless,” Nov. 29, 2006)


Meet with Meet with service service agenciesagencies Learn how Learn how

to handle to handle possible issues possible issues betterbetter

Understand Understand patrons betterpatrons better

Find out more Find out more about homeless about homeless patronspatrons Brian Feulner/Lodi News-Sentinel

Tim Neil, once homeless, talks to homeless outreach worker Dennis Buettner at the Lodi, Indiana, Library.


PlusPlus Makes homeless Makes homeless

patrons less patrons less intimidatingintimidating

Staff recognize Staff recognize them as human them as human beings with beings with individual needsindividual needs

MinusMinus Can take more Can take more

time to implement time to implement than a policythan a policy



Joseph Garnett, Jr./St. Petersburg Times, June 15, 2007

Jacqueline Ramseur reads outside the main branch of the Clearwater, Florida, Library. Ramseur is homeless but checks out books to read on her favorite bench.

Third step: Third step: Treat them as patron Treat them as patron

groupgroup ALA Policy 61 – Service to Poor and Homeless ALA Policy 61 – Service to Poor and Homeless

PeoplePeople


groupgroup New York Public Library’s Mission (from nypl.org):New York Public Library’s Mission (from nypl.org):

“The New York Public Library is one of the cornerstones of “The New York Public Library is one of the cornerstones of the American tradition of equal opportunity. the American tradition of equal opportunity. It provides free It provides free and open access to the accumulated wisdom of the world, and open access to the accumulated wisdom of the world, without distinction as to income, religion, nationality, or without distinction as to income, religion, nationality, or other human condition.other human condition. It is everyone’s university; the It is everyone’s university; the scholar’s and author’s haven; the statesman’s, scientist's, and scholar’s and author’s haven; the statesman’s, scientist's, and businessman’s essential resource; the nation’s memory. It businessman’s essential resource; the nation’s memory. It guarantees freedom of information and independence of guarantees freedom of information and independence of thought. It enables each individual to pursue learning at thought. It enables each individual to pursue learning at his/her own personal level of interest, preparation, ability, his/her own personal level of interest, preparation, ability, and desire. …”and desire. …”


groupgroup Have materials on handHave materials on hand MagazinesMagazines Social services materialsSocial services materials Employment materialsEmployment materials

OutreachOutreach Bring materials to themBring materials to them

Homeless children take part in a Los Angeles Public Library summer camp program on dinosaurs. (“Library holds camp for homeless children,” L. A. Times, July 18, 2008)

Children at a homeless shelter look over materials donated by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students. (photo from a press release from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)


groupgroup Provide Provide

library cardslibrary cards Prove address (at Prove address (at

shelter or shelter or elsewhere)elsewhere)

E-mail, Internet E-mail, Internet use high for this use high for this group at library – group at library –

no place else to no place else to go go for Internet usefor Internet use

Can check out Can check out materialsmaterials



Michael Macor/San Francisco ChronicleEddie Sanchez clutches books from Michael Morgan’s shopping cart library in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. (“A Novel Idea: Small Tenderloin brings its books to the streets after-school Library on Wheels Brings Books to Homeless People,” Aug. 30, 2000)


groupgroupPlusesPluses Homeless patrons Homeless patrons

appreciate library appreciate library servicesservices

Can assist those Can assist those looking to change looking to change their livestheir lives

MinusesMinuses Group not paying Group not paying

taxes to support taxes to support librarieslibraries

Can mean increase Can mean increase in lost and in lost and damaged materialsdamaged materials

Costs for materials, Costs for materials, programsprograms



Wiqan Ang/The Boston GlobeThe Worcester Public Library in Worcester, Mass., limited the number of books homeless people could borrow in 2006. Three patrons filed a class action lawsuit, and the library eventually changed its policy. (“In Worcester, suit filed over library's homeless policy,” Boston Globe, July 9, 2006)

Fourth step: Advocate for Fourth step: Advocate for themthem

Speak with government Speak with government officials about issueofficials about issue Discuss needs of homeless Discuss needs of homeless

patronspatrons at library and beyond at library and beyond

Seattle Public Library put forth Seattle Public Library put forth idea of “hygiene center” after idea of “hygiene center” after meetings with advocates, patronsmeetings with advocates, patrons

Join Hunger, Homelessness Join Hunger, Homelessness & Poverty Task Force of the & Poverty Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Social Responsibilities Round Table at ALATable at ALA Harvard Student Liz Murray shared her story “From

Homeless to Harvard” at the Orlando, Florida, Public Library. (Orlando Public Library photo)


Work with Work with community groupscommunity groups Have information Have information

sessions at librarysessions at library Work together on Work together on

fund-raising effortsfund-raising efforts Gather ideas on Gather ideas on

how to helphow to help

Write and speak Write and speak about the issue about the issue with mediawith media A display about poverty at University of

Lethbridge Library in Canada. (University of Lethbridge Library photo)




AP photo

An attendant and client of Project H.O.M.E cleans a restroom in the Free Library of Philadelphia. Once-homeless individuals work in the library bathrooms and in the café. (“Ex-Homeless Attend to Library Bathrooms,” The Washington Post, Dec. 15, 2006)

Michael Bryant/Philadelphia Inquirer

The Free Library of Philadelphia cafe employs a handful of formerly homeless workers, supervised on site by Project H.O.M.E.


PlusesPluses Helps address Helps address

community needcommunity need

Raises awareness Raises awareness of homeless of homeless community and community and library’s humanitarian library’s humanitarian rolerole

Question:Question: Will this translate Will this translate

into greater support into greater support of library? of library?



John A. Bowersmith/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Adam Hernandez listens to a prayer outside the Mahon Library in Lubbock, Texas, during the Vigil for the Homeless. Hernandez said he sleeps outside at the library almost every night. (“Vigil puts focus on Lubbock's homeless problem,” Oct. 19, 2008)

Real-life scenarioReal-life scenario Homeless patrons congregating on certain nights, Homeless patrons congregating on certain nights,

causing security issuescausing security issues

No place else to go, especially on wintry SundaysNo place else to go, especially on wintry Sundays

Board updated behavior policy, securityBoard updated behavior policy, security

A trustee joined forces with community leaders to A trustee joined forces with community leaders to form Coalition for Warmthform Coalition for Warmth

Warming site created to fill need for community Warming site created to fill need for community space for homeless peoplespace for homeless people

Fewer problems at library as a resultFewer problems at library as a result

Documents

Homeless patrons … or problem? By Christine Edison LIS 770 Spring 2009 Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle Michael Morgan brings his shopping cart of