Comments on: Libraries Also Help the Poor

By: JW Librarian

JW Librarian — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:51:29 +0000

I’ve been trying to get a needle exchange located at our library. We have a population of heroin addicts and their needs are just as important as any other needs. Heroin is food to an addict thereby the library ought to provide this service, as well. The thing is how can a heroin addict read if he or she is jonesing and going into the cold sweats of withdrawal. First things first, especially if we the library want to stay in bz-ness.

By: JW Librarian

JW Librarian — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 20:44:30 +0000

Yeah, I think the whole Baby Boomer vs. Xers. vs. Y, and on and on is pretty tiresome and wholly unfounded. Young people have a lot of energy and vision, but no experience whereas older people have a lot of experience, but are not saddled with youthful idealism. It’s a good mix, but to think the younger generations can fix the problem of the library’s future if only these sad old timers clogging up the system retired is… well… very indicative of a young person’s idealism and naivete. And to think: one day they’ll be the fossils at the desk!

By: Development Arrested

Development Arrested — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 14:52:06 +0000

@Suburban Librarian,

Unfortunately, the reality is before you can serve the information needs of the community, there are sometimes other needs that must be attended to.

How much do you think little Johnny get out of Summer Reading Program / baby sitting if all he can think about is the fact that he hasn’t eaten all day?

I normally agree that libraries are spreading themselves too thin (selling stamps is an example of this), but sometimes these extra things are necessary to reach your mission. Sad but true.

By: Suburban Librarian

Suburban Librarian — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 21:34:37 +0000

“Hate to burst your bubble, but we are service providers and being a service provider means responding to the needs of the community.”

Actually, we are service providers meant to respond to the information needs of the community. There is a big difference.

By: mildred

mildred — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:25:53 +0000

I agree for once with you annoyed, mainly libraries serve the homeless by providing them with shelter and a toilet while they wait for the homeless shelter to reopen, or until they have to go out into the street. Many of the homeless are also mentally ill and of course unless the libraries begin to employe nurses and doctors, plus social workers, I don’t know about help. There are those who might use it for the computer to search for jobs, and that would be a good thing. I am not a librarian only a library user but I have experienced seeing someone come in with all their belongings in a large plastic bag. Sad but the library is not suppose to be a social services center. I leave in a suburban area that was very affluent, but less so now due to the economy. I am seeing the homeless here. They are pushing carts, going through trash near the grocery store, and they come to the library. The poor and homeless are everywhere now. I live in suburbia. I use the library. I know.

By: Coastside Librarian

Coastside Librarian — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 01:01:19 +0000

At first, I was going to reply with a flame thrower. Thought better of it.

Let’s just say that your contention that this is all the fault of us troublesome Boomers who just won’t retire or die off so you can institute your vision of what librarianship and libraries should be is a particularly egregious example of facile thinking and an utterly false premise. I spend a lot of my time trying to keep the doors open while simultaneously fighting to save your job. No thanks necessary.

This is not a matter of generational divides (an antiquated and absurd notion), but of pressures placed upon us by funders, the public, staff of all ages, societal demands, the reality in front of us. I agree that trying to be all things is ultimately futile and does dilute our mission. Blaming an entire generation of librarians is divisive and wrong-headed. Sure, there are always examples of Boomers coasting to retirement and clogging the pipeline but it’s not the majority.

Public libraries face challenges to our survival – Boomers aren’t one of them. Let’s focus on the real challenges – we need all of us to make it through.

By: annoyedlibraryworker

annoyedlibraryworker — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 20:44:33 +0000

Not all librarians are public servants, and not everyone who works in a public library is a librarian. The community needs many things, libraries can provide assistance in the form of access to information, for everyone regardless of your race, creed, orientation or income status. We need trained and qualified people to properly acquire, promote, dispense and organize this information. There was a time when this was considered a service for the public good in itself. Libraries were built to exemplify a communities highest aspirations. Now we are being bullied into being soup kitchens/day care centers/medical clinics/post offices/homeless shelters?

By: Finally a Librarian

Finally a Librarian — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 19:50:55 +0000

Our Library system policy prohibits patrons having food in the library. In Florida, if we let folks eat (especially kids) we would be over run with ants!

By: totally hipster

totally hipster — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:21:03 +0000

Do you know there’s another institution who mission is to educate and increase literacy? It’s called a school and they have free breakfast and lunch programs.
Many librarians have a hard time dealing with the fact that we are public servants, so I can understand your disdain for the “poor people” and refusal to turn the library into a “soup kitchen”. But you are sadly mistaken when you tell people to become social workers if one thinks that libraries should be a “social service agency”. Hate to burst your bubble, but we are service providers and being a service provider means responding to the needs of the community.
If you enter the profession thinking that you would make it about you and your needs, guess again. Unless your goal is to be out of a job, and should that happen then let’s hope you don’t cross paths with anyone who agrees emphatically with what you just wrote.

By: spencer

spencer — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 23:32:25 +0000

At my library I declined to be a distribution center for free lunches. There are already several throughout the town and horror stories of staff time wasted on people who would send in one kid at a time to try to get 5 lunches each were enough to make me not do it.

It’s not what libraries DO, or SHOULD do. We are tax payer funded to meet our established mission. Giving food to the needy- or clothes, or christmas presents, etc- is NOT that mission.