Libraries and the Homeless

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The issue of homelessness seems like one that will never be solved.  Whether individuals end up unhoused due to unfortunate circumstances, personal choice, or mental health issues, there will always be homeless people.  How the homeless crisis is dealt with is a huge issue, one that looms large for many municipalities both large and small.  One public agency that has become a de facto support system for many homeless is the public library.  Individuals can escape the heat or cold during library open hours, find entertainment in books and use of computers, and have access to bathrooms, all for free.  It has become so normalized for homeless to utilize libraries, that "many libraries have added social workers to their staff" to connect these individuals to other community agencies to help them meet their needs ("US Libraries," 2023).

The extent library staff go to to help homeless is always increasing.  At some libraries, staff provide clothing, assistance with filling out public benefits paperwork, and at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, cell phones are loaned to homeless so they can contact family or potential employers and housing prospects.  By giving the homeless a way to connect with resources, some are helping themselves to reverse the cycle of homelessness.  While not the original intention of public libraries, assisting with the homeless epidemic has become a main focus of library staff and they have adjusted and taken on the task with with grace.

To see firsthand how the library impacts the lives of homeless, watch this video.

Works Cited

Enis, M. (2022). Phones, Data for Unhoused in Las Vegas. Library Journal, 147(10), 12–13.

Why US libraries are on the frontlines of the homelessness crisis; Homeless people are relying on public libraries as a safe haven to stay warm and avoid harassment from law enforcement, advocates say. (2023, January 24). Guardian [London, England], NA. https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.palomar.edu/apps/doc/A734487371/OVIC?u=cclc_palomar&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=be112ae7


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