This module is the perfect opportunity for me to discuss something that has weighed heavily on me as a public library employee. I would love any feedback from the class on whether they have encountered any similar situations at their institutions! The policy regarding obtaining a library card at my library used to be that if you could not provide proof of your current home address, you would still be able to get a “restricted card” that provides access to the computer lab and e-media. Naturally, these restricted cards were largely relied upon by unhoused patrons who do not have a home address. A few months back, our Library Director changed the policy so that the restricted cards expire and cannot be renewed after a month of use. If a patron cannot provide proof of address after the month ends, their restricted card stops working, and they cannot access the e-media or computer room. This choice was made by the Director specifically to reduce the number of unhoused patrons in the library. I was absolutely shocked by this policy change that seems to go against everything the public library institution stands for. Has anyone else encountered any similar barriers in their institutions that inhibit unhoused persons’ access to resources?
I was inspired to share this story because included in this week’s module is a video about Salt Lake City’s Homeless Tai Chi program. I found this video so, so incredibly inspiring, and I do not understand why more libraries do not provide more programs specifically for unhoused patrons who need them the most.
Unhoused persons are frequent patrons of public libraries and for good reasons; libraries are one of the few safe places they can go to get out of the Sun and be treated with dignity, as they should be. It makes me uncomfortable to even have to group people as though they are a subcategory. I hope to work for an institution that not only provides equal access to unhoused patrons, such as Berkeley’s library, which makes cards more accessible to patrons without a permanent address, but also provides resources specifically for them that consider their individual needs.
References
Rees, M. (2018, December 3). No permanent address? No problem. Berkeley library makes it easier for those without homes to get library cards. Berkeleyside. https://www.berkeleyside.org/2018/12/03/no-permanent-address-no-problem-berkeley-library-makes-it-easier-for-those-without-homes-to-get-library-cards
The Salt Lake Tribune. (2017). Salt Lake City Library hosts Homeless Tai Chi [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPCnWosz9HU&t=14s