People from all walks of life visit libraries everyday. One segment of patrons is often overlooked: the homeless. Currently, public libraries are a preferred destination for many homeless individuals. Most shelters close during the day and require their visitors to leave. Libraries are free, climate controlled and offer many activities including: books, magazines and computers. Unfortunately, many patrons are offended by the lack of personal hygiene and other issues presented by the homeless. In New Jersey, a homeless person successfully sued his local library after he was banned for offensive body odor (Staff, 2007). As a library patron, I have been concerned about some homeless patrons. I actually prefer to not visit the downtown library because of this problem. I think the problem is larger than the library. It is really a social problem. Many homeless people have no other options, and unfortunately with our receding economy and increase in home foreclosures the problem is only going to get worse. But, what can we do as librarians? Will the homeless be libraryless soon too? What do think?
Staff. (2007, April 9). SLC library's ward reflects on public libraries and the homeless. Library Journel. Retrieved on April 10, 2008 from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6431709.html
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As Fran Leibowitz once commented about her refusal to stop smoking in public: "That's what public is."
It is sad we have become a nation of entitlement, constantly concerned with what affront contact with others might deal us. This semester, in another class, I have been reading a collection of essays by Baudelaire about his dedication to walking the streets of Paris, and, basically, checking out what was going on.
I think in the coming times of economic woes "society" will have to come to grips with the fact that not just addicts and derelicts are homeless.
There was a librarian (Rhonda Kitchens - now at the Ringling and also a USF alum) who for many years requested the assignment at the reference desk at the John Germany specifically because she had a profound capacity to interact well with homeless patrons.
I am sure she is missed.
Jean Carey
www.italiangrehounds.org/errata/
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