Dress Nicely for the Library

Anonymous Patron writes “Article from Satan on a Stick webzine entitled “Tips for the Homeless” praises libraries as “an excellent home-base for a homeless (person)” but suggests boosting clothes from Goodwill before going, because author says, “I don’t think you should hang around at the
library looking and smelling like a bum.””

March 3, 2005 by Uncategorized 5

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5 Responses

  1. Bibliofile says:
    March 3, 2005 at 8:02 pm

    Dress nicely for the Library?
    This topic was certainly misleading…right to the ramblings of a poorly written blog. First of all it is insulting to dehumanize a person who is homeless by referring to him or her as “a homeless”. The person to which you are referring does happen to be homeless–but any one of us is just a few house or rental payments away from a similar situation. Also, suggesting that someone steal clothes from a Goodwill Store–or steal anything for that matter–is unconscionable. Goodwill provides jobs and services for people with disabilities–so in essence you would be more than stealing an item of clothing if you should decide to target a Goodwill with your shoplifting. Libraries do welcome people who have the misfortune to be homeless. We provide computers on which people prepare job searches and resumes, newspapers and Internet links to job opportunities, books on interviewing skills, story-time for children, warmth, conversation and often referrals to other community services. We don’t enourage stealing or shoptlifting. The person who wrote this blog is irresponsible and doesn’t have a clue to what life is all about. And, yes he/she struck a cord. I have worked in the social services field with people suffering from long-term mental illness and other disabilities, and people who have lost thier homes. Please don’t insult them.

    Reply
  2. Anonymous Patron says:
    March 3, 2005 at 9:41 pm

    Re:Dress nicely for the Library?

    The person to which you are referring does happen to be homeless–but any one of us is just a few house or rental payments away from a similar situation.

    I am unsure as to this specific person and situation; however, let us not misunderstand homelessness. A vast majority of the chronic homeless have either mental health problems and/or drug/alcohol problems. They are not like most people because these problems tend to affect other issues like employment, housing and criminal activity, etc.

    This is not to say the homeless are undeserving or bad people, but it is naive to think homelessness can happen to anyone. Mental illness is a terrible affliction and I wouldn’t wish that upon even my worst enemy. These people have serious problems and it is difficult finding a solution to this problem.

    Reply
  3. Anonymous Patron says:
    March 3, 2005 at 10:15 pm

    Re:Dress nicely for the Library?
    I don’t know, but I got the impression that the author either is or had previously been homeless, and was simply offering anecdotes from his or her own experience. Note that the reference to “a homeless” is a direct quote from the piece, not the person who posted here. Taken in the context of a homeless person attempting to assist other homeless persons (however flippantly or illegally), I don’t think it’s offensive, and is somewhat amusing to think that someone was considering how they presented themselves at the library.

    Reply
  4. deborah says:
    March 4, 2005 at 5:23 am

    Re:Dress nicely for the Library?

    A vast majority of the chronic homeless have either mental health problems and/or drug/alcohol problems.

    A disproportionate number, yes. A vast majority, no. “Approximately 22% of the single adult homeless population suffers from some form of severe and persistent mental illness (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2001)” And while the links between addiction and homelessness are undeniable, “The relationship between addiction and homelessness is complex and controversial. While rates of alcohol and drug abuse are disproportionately high among the homeless population, the increase in homelessness over the past two decades cannot be explained by addiction alone. Many people who are addicted to alcohol and drugs never become homeless, but people who are poor and addicted are clearly at increased risk of homelessness.” (Both quotations from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/causes.html).

    it is naive to think homelessness can happen to anyone.

    I sincerely hope, for your sake, that you don’t discover first hand how mistaken you are. The causes of homelessness are complex and varied, and mental illness and addiction are certainly among them. Other tradtionally known causes include domestic violence and lack of affordable housing (“In no jurisdiction in the United States does a minimum wage job provide
    enough income for a household to afford the rent for a modest apartment.    “, http://www.endhomelessness.org/back/index.htm. For more info see the Federal government on Fair Market Rents at http://www.huduser.org/datasets/fmr.html).

    More compellingly to someone who believes in the difference between us and them is the increase in laid-off workers becoming homeless. The majority of Americans carry far too much personal debt, and a bad economy can send a wealthy person into a tailspin of foreclosure. I live in a tech-heavy area, and we had a few year spate of feel-bad stories about highly paid MBAs and tech professionals who didn’t carry a savings cushion and ended up homeless with their families after a year of unemployment. (A year of unemployment has been reasonably common around here since the market crash.)

    Reply
  5. Bibliofile says:
    March 4, 2005 at 7:42 am

    Dress nicely for the library
    Prior to working for a public library I worked with people with long term mental illness and other severe disabilities. I worked with programs and employers in developing jobs and supported employment opportunities. I also was director of a not-for-profit affordable housing program which provided rental housing and built and renovated homes for first time homeowners. We are all just a banana peel away from a disability and you are naive if you think homelessness hits only persons with mental illness or drug users. Also, it is not OK to steal–especially from a Goodwill Store that provides training and employment for people with disabilities. You are right about one thing– there is no easy solution to the problem of homelessness. However, misinformation does more harm than no information.

    Reply

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