Libraries and the Homeless

Libraries are visited by all kinds of people, including the homeless. It is a safe place where people who live on the street can find shelter during the day. For the homeless, libraries are their home. Some libraries face the problem of having too many homeless people. Some homeless have the problem of drug addiction, others alcohol addiction, some have lost their jobs, and some have mental illnesses. They do not have access to hygienic facilities, so a main complaint about them is that they smell bad. This creates a problem with patrons who feel uncomfortable near them. According to Patric Grace “Homeless people are not stereotypes; they are members of our society…. And they have the right to visit and use our nation’s public libraries” (Grace 54). Fortunately, homeless people have the same right to get a library card even though they may not be able to provide an address. Libraries offer resources that homeless people can use. For example, with the availability of computers they can search for jobs along with shelters where they can spend the night. Also there are a great variety of books, magazines, newspapers and more. Librarians play an important role by helping them by providing information about shelters and places where they can eat and take showers. Their lives are difficult but with some help they can start a new life by finding a job and a place to stay. 

Interfaith offers many resources for people who are homeless.
https://www.interfaithservices.org 

Works Cited

Grace, Patrick. “No Place to Go (Except the Public Library). (Cover Story).” American Libraries, vol. 31, no. 5, May 2000, p. 53. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=3072708&site=ehost-live&scope=site.