I think it's a disgusting way to use a public facility meant to give educational access to people who need it. Robs children of a safe, fun place to explore their interests and curiosity. Making librarians be social workers is just a lazy political cop out.

Anonymous wrote:They're *public* libraries. They serve *the public*.

They should be viewed as serving the "taxpayer", rather than the "public". Because the public doesn't fund libraries - taxpayers do. Without taxpayers you can still have a "public", but you won't have any libraries. Or any other community services, for that matter.

While the homeless are certainly members of the public, let's not delude ourselves that they are contributing to funding the library.

There should be a hierarchy of users of public services like libraries, with the needs of those who's taxes sustain libraries placed above the needs of those who contribute nothing and only consume services.

Our library (in the suburbs) just removed all adult chairs from the kid's section. Now only kids chairs are at the kid tables. That helps keep down loitering of adults in the kid's section.

I also think limits on computer time would be great. The biggest problem in my opinion is shooting up in the bathrooms.

I just wish my library was open on the weekends so that I could use it. It's only open 1-4 on Sunday with no kid's programming on weekends. Seems like they only cater to SAHMs and the homeless.

Libraries need to have the same types of behavioral rules as the shelters, i.e., no intoxication. I also don't think libraries should have to tolerate extreme hygiene issues. Just because some of the homeless don't want to avail themselves of services that would provide showers, e.g., doesn't mean that the librarians and other library patrons need to be subjected to having the library smell like a port-a-john. Our local DC library does not permit adults unaccompanied by children to be on the children's floor. I completely agree with that as well. And yes, I do have sympathy for the homeless and appreciate that mental illness, severe poverty, abuse and addiction issues have brought people to that state and actively give and volunteer at local shelters. But I do not believe in allowing the local public libraries to be de facto shelters.

Its money OP. Our Church along with several others in the Laurel area helps house the homeless for 12 weeks each winter. When they leave the Church at 7am the ones that don't work ( a lot have jobs) go to Mcdonalds then the library afterwards. Its cold out and its a place for them to go and be warm. Most of them bevave because they want to be allowed to stay there.

Anonymous wrote:I don't really get it... it seems like very different needs than libraries were designed for or librarians have the skill set for (though I know they try their best). My husband had to work with the librarian to call the police in a homeless creeper in the kids section the other day (not saying they all are, but it's two very different populations in a small space). The only solution I can think of is to offer a homeless service station next door. Warming station, social worker,coffee donuts, paper, computer bank, and bathroom to groom in. Thoughts?

Even if you offered those things, which you would never get funding for, there will still be people who prefer to go to the library, the same way that there are shelters and there are still people who prefer the street. I think it's fairly irrelevant whether you think it's two different populations in the same space. It is a public space, and while perhaps the "creeper" in question was actually doing something inappropriate, simply being in the children's section, or the rest of the library, is not inappropriate. Homeless people go to the library because it is quiet and calm and there is stuff to do. When I (a social worker) worked with homeless outreach, what I saw over and over was that there is only so much that you can really do to end homelessness. Many of the people on the streets actively refuse services, often because those "services" come with rules that they are not willing to comply with or safety issues that they are not willing to experience. I knew a lot of people who refused to go to shelters, for example, because others would steal their stuff, or because there were strict no-intoxication rules that didn't exist on the street. I'm not saying that there shouldn't be rules or that stealing is okay, but both of those issues were real enough for the people I worked with that they would not go to the shelter except as a last resort.

Anonymous wrote:There are programs on the city, county and state level to help homeless people, not to mention churches. Some people just don't want the help or they don't want to do what's required to obtain that help.

You have no idea what help they are getting, or even if the person who appears homeless actually is. Most homeless or impoverished people I see in the library are legitimately using the resources (computers, reading, etc). The problem is not enforcing standards of use on everyone and kicking out disruptive people.

Anonymous wrote:Some people are proposing a dedicated children's library in my neighborhood. The renovated libraries also tend to put the children's section on a separate floor, which helps. I also find that the libraries further away from metro stops have fewer problems. I have no issue with homeless people in the library as long as they aren't on drugs, selling drugs, in crisis, or harassing people.

Or watching porn on the library computers.

I o worry about lice and bedbugs though.

Anonymous wrote:I don't really get it... it seems like very different needs than libraries were designed for or librarians have the skill set for (though I know they try their best). My husband had to work with the librarian to call the police in a homeless creeper in the kids section the other day (not saying they all are, but it's two very different populations in a small space). The only solution I can think of is to offer a homeless service station next door. Warming station, social worker,coffee donuts, paper, computer bank, and bathroom to groom in. Thoughts?

It’s jsut very pricey. Many places that we’ve the homeless rely on volunteers and donations and there’s not enough funding to be open all day not to mention have security and prevent any figuring/drug use etc. Shelters are open at night only. Places like shepherds table serve meals and I think provide shower facilities but it’s not a place for the homeless to hang out all day indoors. That’s what they do at the library since it’s open to all and a place to go for air conditioning or heat etc.

It's probably good for the normals to be confronted with the reality of the homeless population living in their neighborhood. They'll be more likely to resource the places to help those folks get out of poverty.

Some people are proposing a dedicated children's library in my neighborhood. The renovated libraries also tend to put the children's section on a separate floor, which helps. I also find that the libraries further away from metro stops have fewer problems. I have no issue with homeless people in the library as long as they aren't on drugs, selling drugs, in crisis, or harassing people.

Anonymous wrote:They're *public* libraries. They serve *the public*.

I knew someone would pipe in with that.

There are programs on the city, county and state level to help homeless people, not to mention churches. Some people just don't want the help or they don't want to do what's required to obtain that help.

They're *public* libraries. They serve *the public*.

I don't really get it... it seems like very different needs than libraries were designed for or librarians have the skill set for (though I know they try their best). My husband had to work with the librarian to call the police in a homeless creeper in the kids section the other day (not saying they all are, but it's two very different populations in a small space). The only solution I can think of is to offer a homeless service station next door. Warming station, social worker,coffee donuts, paper, computer bank, and bathroom to groom in. Thoughts?