Benjamin Franklin likely never imagined a library where you could access the internet, check out a movie, or borrow an e-book. Considering that the father of the American library system died in 1790, we’re pretty sure he never even imagined the technology that has become a linchpin of modern libraries.
In other words, this isn’t your parents’ library — or your Founding Fathers’ library.
The question, then, is how far public libraries should go to expand their services. At the downtown Vancouver branch of the Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries, those services now include a pilot program that regularly connects social workers with customers in need of help. “It’s more than just books,” branch manager Kelly Lamm told The Columbian. “It’s coming and being a member of a community, but also a bridge to social services.”
Libraries have become a refuge of sorts for homeless people. Offering a safe, temperate location to spend the day — along with computer access and bathroom facilities — they are popular with people who have few other places to go. This is particularly true in downtown areas, where homeless people are more prevalent.
There’s even a “Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness,” written by the director of a homeless shelter near Chicago, designed to help staff deal compassionately but effectively with homeless patrons. The goal, according HomelessLibrary.com: “Reduce problems and conflict, while still being inclusive.”
That can be a difficult balancing act. As public spaces that do not charge admission, libraries are inherently welcoming. Staff must work to ensure that patrons are not bothering other customers, but that comes with limitations. We would not expect employees to become the homeless police and usher out people who are otherwise not causing problems.
Because of that, the latest endeavor at Vancouver Community Library is a logical extension of the facility’s purpose. If homeless people are going to be frequent patrons, it is logical for the library to connect social services to those who are amenable to receiving help. As a recent article in The Columbian detailed: “Jack Crowley used to hang out at the Vancouver Community Library every day. The 70-year-old was homeless for 34 years, and the downtown library provided a safe, quiet place out of the elements. But in March, that changed when he got a one-bedroom apartment in Battle Ground. It all started with conversations he had with a social worker at the library.”
That is just one success story from the program, which has been in place since November. According to Community Services Northwest, 19 library visitors found housing through the program between November and June. Meanwhile, calls for emergency services to the main library have declined. Several factors contribute to that, but having social services on the site is helpful.
Critics worry that providing services will only encourage an increase in homeless people at the library, making it less welcoming for other patrons. They say library officials should be careful about alienating their constituents — the people who vote on library levies and provide funding.
Indeed, some homeless people have problems that can lead to uncomfortable situations. But a visit to the community library on just about any day indicates that there is no shortage of visitors.
Recognizing that homeless people are a reality in our community and using a publicly funded facility to connect them with services is sensible — even if it goes beyond the library’s traditional mission.
