[WEB4LIB] RE: ABOUT HOMELESS PATRONS

[WebMaster - Library]

Here are a couple articles about homeless at the downtown Clearwater Public
Library.

Living without obligation or comfort
http://www.sptimes.com/News/062500/NorthPinellas/Living_without_obliga.shtml

Benches divided to prevent homeless from lying down
http://www.sptimes.com/News/090100/NorthPinellas/Benches_divided_to_pr.shtml

Has always been an issue here, for as far back as I remember.  Gets worse in
the winter when transients from "up north" come down here to keep warm and
congregate with the already substantial population of locals who hang out in
and around the library.  Fights are not unknown, especially in late
afternoon when all-day drinking culminates in belligerance. 

Previously, two police technicians (not sworn officers but uniformed PD
employees) were assigned to the library to provide security.  These folks
did an excellent job with the homeless; were familiar with the regulars,
knew who was taking medication, who the troublemakers were, how to calm down
the agitated ones, etc.  Their uniformed presence in and around the library
stopped a lot of problems before they got started.  Additionally, they were
helpful to citizens who had car trouble, etc., in the vicinity of the
library.  Well, these positions were "cut" in the PD; these folks didn't
lose their jobs but were assigned elsewhere (patrolling for parking
violators and other stuff of that ilk, ferheavensakes).  Well, now the
library is supposed to get regular patrols from the downtown bicycle
officers and the occasional cop in a cruiser -- who are supposed to get off
their bikes/out of their cars and walk through the library.  From my
observation, this happens only sporadically, although I think the police
make it a point to be here at closing time, when staff is walking to their
cars, etc.

It will be interesting to see what happens this winter, when our homeless
population skyrockets once again.

Shirl Kennedy 
Web Doyenne 
City of Clearwater, FL

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.



-----Original Message-----
From: John Harvey [mailto:jharvey at irving.lib.tx.us]
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 10:52 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: ABOUT HOMELESS PATRONS


At the Irving Public Library in Texas, we generally have, at any given time,
at least one "resident" homeless person. The frequency of their visits can
vary from two or three times a week to (as is the case currently) all day
every day.

To my knowledge, none of these individuals has ever had, let alone used, a
library card. However, most of them do spend their time reading and/or using
the Internet. In this respect, we have been lucky, since I have heard
numerous horror stories from colleagues at other, larger libraries (e.g,
Dallas Public) about their homeless patrons' behavior.

On the whole, they are no easier or difficult to deal with than any other
patron. We receive few, if any, complaints about their presence.

Our system serves a population of approximately 175,000.

»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«

John C Harvey
Webmaster
Irving Public Library
jharvey at irving.lib.tx.us

In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one
wants, and the other is getting it.  -Oscar Wilde

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Dawn Jones [SMTP:dawnjone at hawaii.edu]
> Sent:	Wednesday, September 13, 2000 4:43 AM
> To:	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:	[WEB4LIB] ABOUT HOMLESS PATRONS
> 
> 
> Thank-you to anyone who has time for a short personal opinion survey:
> 1)	Do homeless individuals visit your library?
> 2)	Frequency and duration of their visits?
> 3)	What do they do? Do they use their library cards for Internet
> access?
> 4)	How do other patrons feel about these people?
> 5)	Are you a library employee, or a patron?
> Please feel free to add any comments, experiences, or opinions of your
> own.
> Replies may be sent to dawnjone at hawaii.edu., before 9/18/2K.
> Thanks for your help.  Dawn Jones