For those who work in many public libraries, homeless patrons are as familiar as barcodes. The San Francisco Chronicle reports today that the San Francisco Main Library hired a social worker, Leah Esguerra, to assist homeless patrons; she has been there about a year. The library has also recently hired a “health and safety associate,” Melvin Morris, to help control problems in the public restrooms. Staff and patrons alike seem pleased with the results…but is this something that would be widely feasible? Would the benefits off-set the costs?
H/T to Change.org
Philadelphia has similar programs
Free Library of Phila. is worth looking at for a model of positive service to homeless users. The central branch is a magnet for homeless, which has created problems in the past to which the library administration responded by working with a major advocacy organization in the city on staff training and services, including vocational training positions within the library itself- which created a damn fine library cafe!
H/T to LISNews
I gave a H/T to LISNews (and Change.org) here, where I note the libraries refuse to allow Internet filters, and I wonder if that might be related. Ya think?
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http://www.SafeLibraries.org
http://safelibraries.blogspot.com/
social worker: $85k/yr. librarian: $45k/yr.
there’s go to be something we can learn from this… oh, yeah, libraries are not homeless shelters… unless you want to pay me eighty-five grand. then you can do whatever you want with the library.