Is it illegal for public libraries to ban homeless and drug addicts?

[Anonymous]

Our librarians are trained to administer naloxone because so many ppl were overdosing in the bathrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s sad is that people are viewed as rodents, pests and animals and not actual human beings.

Public libraries alllw anyone and everyone. Yes, that includes individuals who are homeless. If there is a behavior exhibited that breaks a rule or code of conduct they will be removed just as anyone else would be. There very presence isn’t doing anyone any damage. Teach your child empathy, if you can.

Your comfort level isn’t more important than their right to exist. They are people.

I lived in a college town for 5 years. Our library was amazing and expansive and on any day you’d see many unsheltwred people within the walls. I brought my kids, no issues. Never did I feel unsafe. Never did I see any problems.

Sometimes libraries are the only place where a person can escape the elements. Homeless shelters are often closed ruing the day or are understaffed. Would you prefer they freeze to death. I bet I know the answer.

I'm glad your experience was good, but in Carroll County, MD where I live, there is one library where a sizable group of homeless people regularly harrass patrons, discard needles, and have OD'ed in the library. My friend is a librarian here and she and her colleagues are often threatened. The librarians have been taught to use Naloxone, which is kept on site. Where my mother lives in Baltimore County, MD, groups of homeless and mentally ill people regularly yell and curse inside, and hang outside the library entrance smoking.

I don't want anyone to freeze to death or be shunned for being homeless, but sometimes the reason a person is homeless is also the reason that that person has issues that would require them to be banned from a public space for the good of other patrons. People shouldn't feel afraid or hesitant to use a public space because they fear harrassment. I think in Carroll County's case, the aren't good support services for the homeless, addicted, and mentally ill, so the library has become their default. I would guess that's the case in many places because we generally don't do a good job of taking care of people who need help. It's a shame, though, that we've started expecting librarians to be on the front lines to handle people who have complex needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYT article says libraries are constantly dealing with opioid overdoses. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/nyregion/librarians-opioid-heroin-overdoses.html

The comment section has people from all over the US, city and suburbs, saying they avoid their library because they're too scary, de facto homeless shelters with drug dealing, obvious mentally unstable, sex offenders surfing porn, violent crime, bed bugs, body odor, needles in the bathroom, overdoses.

One comment asked "Why are homeless drug addicts the most important people in society all of a sudden? Libraries were not intended for this. Families can't go there anymore, readers are scared. All that matters is the junkies. What kind of a world are we living in?"

Our library stopped allowing bags and suitcases in the library (you are allowed only one small purse or backpack) which helped and locked the children's bathrooms (need to ask a librarian for a key). It is a problem but you cannot reasonably refuse to allow an adult into a public library.

A solution would obviously be to have more welcoming and safe places for the homeless and mentally ill to go. If the public library is all that is open to them, then that is where they are going to go.

This. If you hate having your libraries overrun by homeless people and drug abusers, give the homeless and drug abusers a better option. There is nothing wrong with doing the right thing for a selfish reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ive seen plenty of homeless people at the library, They are usually calm and working on the computers. Or in the Winter they are trying to keep warm. Is it ideal? no, but what would you suggest? Id rather teach my kid to have empathy for others who need a warm place to hang out. I have never seen them in the childrens sections.

This is my experience too, but I’m in a fairly affluent exurb. I can see where a more urban library could be overrun.

[Anonymous]

It is a complicated topic.

Homeless people are disproportionately mentally ill and with drug habits. Those are the most common reasons they ended up homeless to start with.

And they can be a nuisance in public spaces. Trying to pretend otherwise is not facing the reality of the situation and refusing to tackle the problem by pretending everything is just fine and dandy. Libraries are in a tricky situation over this. Many people have stopped using libraries because they don't feel comfortable in them any more, but at the same time we can't stop people from coming in due to being homeless or having mental issues.

I consider myself tolerant and progressive but I have been in urban libraries that were no longer endearing places. I zip in and out. Or increasingly these days, order books online and don't go to libraries any more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ive seen plenty of homeless people at the library, They are usually calm and working on the computers. Or in the Winter they are trying to keep warm. Is it ideal? no, but what would you suggest? Id rather teach my kid to have empathy for others who need a warm place to hang out. I have never seen them in the childrens sections.

I knew a homeless man who had skin ulcers that could be contagious if not treated. Also had a drunk one hit on me when I was 15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ive seen plenty of homeless people at the library, They are usually calm and working on the computers. Or in the Winter they are trying to keep warm. Is it ideal? no, but what would you suggest? Id rather teach my kid to have empathy for others who need a warm place to hang out. I have never seen them in the childrens sections.

This is my experience too, but I’m in a fairly affluent exurb. I can see where a more urban library could be overrun.

Is north arlington affluent because I see them all the time in clarendon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYT article says libraries are constantly dealing with opioid overdoses. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/nyregion/librarians-opioid-heroin-overdoses.html

The comment section has people from all over the US, city and suburbs, saying they avoid their library because they're too scary, de facto homeless shelters with drug dealing, obvious mentally unstable, sex offenders surfing porn, violent crime, bed bugs, body odor, needles in the bathroom, overdoses.

One comment asked "Why are homeless drug addicts the most important people in society all of a sudden? Libraries were not intended for this. Families can't go there anymore, readers are scared. All that matters is the junkies. What kind of a world are we living in?"

Our library stopped allowing bags and suitcases in the library (you are allowed only one small purse or backpack) which helped and locked the children's bathrooms (need to ask a librarian for a key). It is a problem but you cannot reasonably refuse to allow an adult into a public library.

A solution would obviously be to have more welcoming and safe places for the homeless and mentally ill to go. If the public library is all that is open to them, then that is where they are going to go.

This. If you hate having your libraries overrun by homeless people and drug abusers, give the homeless and drug abusers a better option. There is nothing wrong with doing the right thing for a selfish reason.

mental instability...... much like the depressed kids who end up shooting others or themselves. It's a huge problem in this country and only getting worse as society becomes more progressive and selfish. In my third world country the only homeless are the truly poor such as those who are missing hands, blind, very old, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYT article says libraries are constantly dealing with opioid overdoses. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/nyregion/librarians-opioid-heroin-overdoses.html

The comment section has people from all over the US, city and suburbs, saying they avoid their library because they're too scary, de facto homeless shelters with drug dealing, obvious mentally unstable, sex offenders surfing porn, violent crime, bed bugs, body odor, needles in the bathroom, overdoses.

One comment asked "Why are homeless drug addicts the most important people in society all of a sudden? Libraries were not intended for this. Families can't go there anymore, readers are scared. All that matters is the junkies. What kind of a world are we living in?"

Our library stopped allowing bags and suitcases in the library (you are allowed only one small purse or backpack) which helped and locked the children's bathrooms (need to ask a librarian for a key). It is a problem but you cannot reasonably refuse to allow an adult into a public library.

A solution would obviously be to have more welcoming and safe places for the homeless and mentally ill to go. If the public library is all that is open to them, then that is where they are going to go.

This. If you hate having your libraries overrun by homeless people and drug abusers, give the homeless and drug abusers a better option. There is nothing wrong with doing the right thing for a selfish reason.

mental instability...... much like the depressed kids who end up shooting others or themselves. It's a huge problem in this country and only getting worse as society becomes more progressive and selfish. In my third world country the only homeless are the truly poor such as those who are missing hands, blind, very old, etc.

You are correct.

As areas get more progressive these problems in rease.

It is selfish to allow and in some cases encourage or reqard people to engage in behaviors that are dangerous and destructive to themselves and others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYT article says libraries are constantly dealing with opioid overdoses. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/nyregion/librarians-opioid-heroin-overdoses.html

The comment section has people from all over the US, city and suburbs, saying they avoid their library because they're too scary, de facto homeless shelters with drug dealing, obvious mentally unstable, sex offenders surfing porn, violent crime, bed bugs, body odor, needles in the bathroom, overdoses.

One comment asked "Why are homeless drug addicts the most important people in society all of a sudden? Libraries were not intended for this. Families can't go there anymore, readers are scared. All that matters is the junkies. What kind of a world are we living in?"

Our library stopped allowing bags and suitcases in the library (you are allowed only one small purse or backpack) which helped and locked the children's bathrooms (need to ask a librarian for a key). It is a problem but you cannot reasonably refuse to allow an adult into a public library.

A solution would obviously be to have more welcoming and safe places for the homeless and mentally ill to go. If the public library is all that is open to them, then that is where they are going to go.

This. If you hate having your libraries overrun by homeless people and drug abusers, give the homeless and drug abusers a better option. There is nothing wrong with doing the right thing for a selfish reason.

mental instability...... much like the depressed kids who end up shooting others or themselves. It's a huge problem in this country and only getting worse as society becomes more progressive and selfish. In my third world country the only homeless are the truly poor such as those who are missing hands, blind, very old, etc.

You are correct.

As areas get more progressive these problems in rease.

It is selfish to allow and in some cases encourage or reqard people to engage in behaviors that are dangerous and destructive to themselves and others.

Unfortunately it is the case. Our progressivism means that the mentally unstable have rights that also must be respected so they can't be locked up and sent to mental institutions against their will. Of course, being mentally unstable they don't know that's the best solution in many circumstances. So they can't be held against their will and prevented from leaving an institution or group house. It's why so many go straight to the streets where they can indulge in drug habits. The third world countries have no such restriction, which you'd find if you looked closely at the matter (and also find that many of the third world institutions are very lacking of resources and have their own problems too).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYT article says libraries are constantly dealing with opioid overdoses. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/28/nyregion/librarians-opioid-heroin-overdoses.html

The comment section has people from all over the US, city and suburbs, saying they avoid their library because they're too scary, de facto homeless shelters with drug dealing, obvious mentally unstable, sex offenders surfing porn, violent crime, bed bugs, body odor, needles in the bathroom, overdoses.

One comment asked "Why are homeless drug addicts the most important people in society all of a sudden? Libraries were not intended for this. Families can't go there anymore, readers are scared. All that matters is the junkies. What kind of a world are we living in?"

Our library stopped allowing bags and suitcases in the library (you are allowed only one small purse or backpack) which helped and locked the children's bathrooms (need to ask a librarian for a key). It is a problem but you cannot reasonably refuse to allow an adult into a public library.

A solution would obviously be to have more welcoming and safe places for the homeless and mentally ill to go. If the public library is all that is open to them, then that is where they are going to go.

This. If you hate having your libraries overrun by homeless people and drug abusers, give the homeless and drug abusers a better option. There is nothing wrong with doing the right thing for a selfish reason.

mental instability...... much like the depressed kids who end up shooting others or themselves. It's a huge problem in this country and only getting worse as society becomes more progressive and selfish. In my third world country the only homeless are the truly poor such as those who are missing hands, blind, very old, etc.

You are correct.

As areas get more progressive these problems in rease.

It is selfish to allow and in some cases encourage or reqard people to engage in behaviors that are dangerous and destructive to themselves and others.

Your conservative rhetoric is just that: conservative rhetoric. Big red states have homeless people, too. In fact, the big red states tend to have increased poverty rates and opioid issues.

It's a numbers game when it comes to cities vs rural (duh), but it has nothing to do with politics. Every community in the US has people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues---including rural areas and suburbs. There are homeless students in every school district. Homelessness is an issue driven by a lack of affordable housing and healthcare. Period

If you don't want your library overrun with addicts, mentally ill people and the homeless, then tell your legislators on the federal, state and local levels to address homelessness, healthcare and affordable housing. But don't tell them to ban them from the library until there's a solution. What's the point? They have to be someplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ive seen plenty of homeless people at the library, They are usually calm and working on the computers. Or in the Winter they are trying to keep warm. Is it ideal? no, but what would you suggest? Id rather teach my kid to have empathy for others who need a warm place to hang out. I have never seen them in the childrens sections.

This is my experience too, but I’m in a fairly affluent exurb. I can see where a more urban library could be overrun.

Is north arlington affluent because I see them all the time in clarendon.

Immediate PP here and I’m in Loudoun. Everyday all of the public computers with free internet are completely taken up by really poor looking people - sorry, dont know how else to describe them. Some are likely homeless, others are likely just very very poor. They sit quietly in the warmth and read on the computer. It doesn’t bother me a bit - I go to the library to pick up things I have reserved online or let my children pick out books and movies. If anyone were behaving inappropriately it would bother me but I’ve never seen it. I’ve never seen any sleeping or “camping out” either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s sad is that people are viewed as rodents, pests and animals and not actual human beings.

Public libraries alllw anyone and everyone. Yes, that includes individuals who are homeless. If there is a behavior exhibited that breaks a rule or code of conduct they will be removed just as anyone else would be. There very presence isn’t doing anyone any damage. Teach your child empathy, if you can.

Your comfort level isn’t more important than their right to exist. They are people.

I lived in a college town for 5 years. Our library was amazing and expansive and on any day you’d see many unsheltwred people within the walls. I brought my kids, no issues. Never did I feel unsafe. Never did I see any problems.

Sometimes libraries are the only place where a person can escape the elements. Homeless shelters are often closed ruing the day or are understaffed. Would you prefer they freeze to death. I bet I know the answer.

I'm glad your experience was good, but in Carroll County, MD where I live, there is one library where a sizable group of homeless people regularly harrass patrons, discard needles, and have OD'ed in the library. My friend is a librarian here and she and her colleagues are often threatened. The librarians have been taught to use Naloxone, which is kept on site. Where my mother lives in Baltimore County, MD, groups of homeless and mentally ill people regularly yell and curse inside, and hang outside the library entrance smoking.

I don't want anyone to freeze to death or be shunned for being homeless, but sometimes the reason a person is homeless is also the reason that that person has issues that would require them to be banned from a public space for the good of other patrons. People shouldn't feel afraid or hesitant to use a public space because they fear harrassment. I think in Carroll County's case, the aren't good support services for the homeless, addicted, and mentally ill, so the library has become their default. I would guess that's the case in many places because we generally don't do a good job of taking care of people who need help. It's a shame, though, that we've started expecting librarians to be on the front lines to handle people who have complex needs.

+1 well stated and true

[Anonymous]

The few times I've been to central library in Arlington it's been overrun with homeless people. I don't go there anymore because I don't like being blasted with the smell of stale urine when I walk into a building. I just buy books off Amazon now.

[Anonymous]

Easy fix. Require people to have a library card to enter. You need an ID for a card so that will bar many homeless people from going in. If they are disruptive, such as camping out in the bathroom, they are banned from coming back.