Hawaii’s Public Libraries “Seek to Help a Growing Portion of their Clientele: The Homeless”

From Hawaii News Now:

Being a librarian isn’t just about helping people find the right book anymore.
And, quipped Hawaii State Library acting director Marya Zoller, “we really don’t do ‘shhhh’ too much.”
But even Zoller wasn’t fully prepared to add “social worker” to her resume. And that’s exactly what’s happened.
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Now the clientele is much more diverse — and so are the challenges.
Across the state, homeless congregate in libraries daily, putting librarians on the front line of some of the most serious social issues facing our community.
Zoller said many of the homeless who come into libraries face a host of challenges, including mental health issues.

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Filed under: Libraries, News, Public Libraries