Libraries and Homelessness | Psychology Now

Going through Homelessness Local community Celebration

Josephine Ensign

Yesterday, at a community homelessness resource and overall health fair wherever I was a faculty preceptor for a footcare clinic with some of our health-related and nursing pupils, I was reminded of the strong job of libraries in the lives of people going through homelessness. Among the tables and tents featuring heat wintertime coats, gloves, hats, behavioral well being resources, pizza, bagels, espresso, haircuts, youth shelter, and women’s working day shelter solutions, and our footcare, the College Branch of the Seattle Public Library table was rather common. Amidst the absurdity of a return to backward-on the lookout e-book bans all through our place and in a season of thanksgiving, permit us don’t forget that general public libraries virtually help save lives.

It is not hyperbole to say that community libraries help you save life, especially for folks experiencing homelessness. Libraries give sanctuary and shelter, the two emotionally and physically. Libraries produce quiet, peacefulness, group, warmth, and, with any luck ,, air conditioning when it is warm and smokey exterior. Libraries have community restrooms, which are surprisingly scarce in Seattle, as in most U.S. cities. Harried moms and dads can obtain respite in libraries with their brilliant, colourful children’s reserve sections, totally free entry to the internet and computers, and children’s story several hours. Young children, teenagers, grownups, and more mature older people, no subject their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual id, differing talents, socio-financial and housing predicaments, can all uncover tales of men and women like them who deal with challenges they confront and who locate approaches to not only endure, but endure, resist, and thrive.

If you are fortunate sufficient to be easily and stably housed, you should don’t forget that not all of our community users have these basic requirements. When viewing general public libraries, try out to apply tolerance for all folks who look distinctive to you. That extends to people who ‘appear’ to be suffering from homelessness.

A increasing quantity of public libraries all through our region and internationally are selecting social personnel to guide library patrons from all walks of lifetime to entry wanted overall health and social aid. Total Person Librarianship is a library-social operate collaboration hub with resources and a map of social perform-supported libraries. A recent and exceptional book is Libraries and Homelessness: An Action Information by the librarian and homelessness advocate Julie Ann Winkelstein—available, of course, in quite a few community libraries.