New Article: “Enlisting Public Libraries to Help Fight Homelessness”

The following article was published on the Stateline (from Pew Charitable Trusts) web site today.
From the Article:

Public libraries have long been havens for people with nowhere else to go. Now, a growing number of library systems are adding services for patrons who are homeless, hungry, or suffering from drug addiction or mental illness. For the District of Columbia, that means hiring a social worker, partnering with nonprofits and organizing social hours.
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During the recession, behavioral incidents spiked in the main branch of the Salt Lake City Public Library, said Tommy Hamby, the library’s adult services coordinator. “We saw a lot of what our manager called ‘new homeless,’ ” he said: panicked people who had just lost their homes and were in crisis mode.
Public libraries have expanded services in a number of ways. San Francisco was the first to hire a social worker, in 2009. Washington and Denver have followed suit. The Dallas Public Library has used grant money to station two AmeriCorps volunteers behind a help desk — as well as answering questions, they might help proofread resumes or help with food stamp applications — and to hire someone who refers patrons to social services.

Read the Complete Article (1470 words)
See Also: Edmonton Public Library Extends Outreach Workers Project (March 30, 2014)
See Also: Tucson: “More Than Just Books: Arizona Libraries Add Public Health Nurses” (March 31, 2014)

Filed under: Funding, Libraries, News, Patrons and Users, Public Libraries