Library Services for the Poor and Homeless

Libraries serve the homeless in many ways.  “Odione’s law states that things that do not change stay the same.”  (McNeil 1996)  Planning services to a group of patrons means you must learn who they are.  Librarians should use all the available community resources such as city planners, mental health agencies, rehabilitation centers, social service agencies, schools, hospitals and newspapers.  Requests from patrons are likely to be for socializations activities and jobs.  According to the American Library Association there are six main library services available for homeless patrons.

v    The provision of street cards which list services to assist in finding food, health, shelter, legal aid, welfare and employment information.  

v    Some libraries provide reading rooms within homeless shelters. 

v    "Community rooms" within libraries are designed to provide information on community social services. 

v    Library cards for homeless people who are without a permanent address. 

v    Educational and cultural programs for homeless children and literacy programs for the adults. 

v    Open referral services in libraries that aid homeless patrons.   

            There are many actions that library professionals can take to work with homeless patrons in a positive and effective manner.  A number of them were outlined in “Recommendations for Action in Implementing ALA’s ‘Library Services for the Poor’ Resolution” in 2001. 

v    Librarians can examine the library mission statement to insure that all people served are welcome as well as make sure the public can voice concerns about library policies.

v    The library services should also be evaluated to be sure they don’t discriminate based on the patron’s ability to pay for them. 

v    Promotion of the removal of all barriers for the homeless such as fees and charges and policies that exclude the homeless is desirable. 

v    Literacy is another issue the librarian can take action on. 

v    Insure that children know how and are encouraged to read.

v    Librarians should work with literacy providers to publicize the availability of adult education classes, GED, and ESL to help adults improve literacy skills.   

            Staff training supervisors should train staff to handle the clientele at hand.  Some recommendations are the following:

v    Train staff to be sensitive to issues affecting poor people and to maintain positive attitudes which help to remove barriers to the poor.

v    Supervisors should also promote training opportunities for effective techniques in generating public funding to upgrade library services to the poor.

v    In terms of budget planning it is best to promote low-income programs and services into the regular budget rather than supporting projects with “soft money” like private or federal grants. 

v    It is also recommended to promote equity in funding adequate library services (materials, facilities and equipment) for poor people. 

v    Supplemental support should be promoted for library resources for and about the poor by using the government (local, state & federal) and the private sector to provide adequate funding. 

            Some ways in which librarians can participate in Professional Association activities are to read the ALA’s “Poor People’s Policy”, distribute copies of it to colleagues, ask ALA’s Washington office to support legislative initiatives that would reduce poverty, get involved in the Social Responsibilities Round Table Task Force on Hunger, Homelessness, and poverty or the OLOS subcommittee on the “Poor People’s Policy.”