Chip Ward, who recently retired as assistant director of the Salt Lake City Public Library, has a must-read piece about how America’s urban libraries have become de facto homeless shelters, with librarians expected to be social workers.
It’s a national shame.
He writes eloquently of the discarded and damaged men and women who seek shelter at the library, and of our society’s responsibility to help them. “When the mentally ill whom we have thrown onto the streets haunt our public places, their presence tells us something important about the state of our union, our national character, our priorities, and our capacity to care for one another,” he writes.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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30 Comments
There was one street “gentleman” that used to visit the basement of the main library where I would do research on Kansas History and etc.
He would pull dozens of books from the shelf and take up an entire long table by himself. He would scribble a few incoherent notes on his notepad, then go after another book.
The Librarians in the Main Library probably know who I’m talking about.
As far as the statement ““When the mentally ill whom we have thrown onto the streets haunt our public places,”
From my observations, at least ninety percent of these people are in good physical shape and perfectly capable of getting a job, getting public assistance as needed and functioning normally.
They just won’t do it. It’s called the “hobo” syndrome. Some people like it that way. They like the hobo lifestyle.
I doubt anyone can come up with a solution for people who want to be lazy and live like a hobo.
“From my observations, at least ninety percent of these people are in good physical shape and perfectly capable of getting a job, getting public assistance as needed and functioning normally.”
I would challege that comment. There are a few abusers out there that have no business being on the streets. A vast majority have one issue or another that keeps them imprisoned to that lifestyle with little hope of getting any assistance out of their situation. Yes, many times their homelessness was brought on by some incident that caused jail time, excessive drinking, or drug addiction, from which there is little successful public help for them to recover. Many more, though may have slight or severe untreated mental issues that trap them there, or maybe even a disability caused by accident or even service to our country. There are dozens that live on a meager pension or disability payment that is not enough to secure housing.The waiting list for Section 8 housing is 2 years long, and they are not taking any new applicants. Other agencies have programs available, but these folks have no transportation to get to counseling or a job, so they may work a day or two and then they miss. They disappear into the back alleys and under the bridges, and noone goes looking for them, except the police… but that’s another story!They NEED a place to go in the daytime, with services, job opportunities, and reliable transportation to get where they need to be. And, contrary to what the city wishes, it needs to be near downtown where the homeless are, and where the services are centered. We need to treat the issues that cause the homelessness and then give them a hand up, making them valuable in their own eyes. Sweeping them out of the area helps noone, and makes it extremely difficult for those who truly want to help.
Kansassam volunteers his time to work with the homeless. And despite his professed expertise, I am doubting if Republican does. I wish people would at least have some idea of what they are talking about before they decide to post.
It is called an opinion, Steve. Republican cleared stated, “from my observations”. He did not make assertions or claim facts incorrectly.
I am all for people expressing their opinion, uninformed and otherwise.
This is a serious problem and to say that people who are not even legally competent to make a choice are choosing to be “hobos” I find offensive and not especially helpful.
Please read the linked article before offering your political talking points is all I am asking. Thank you.
Read it again, Steve. He said very clearly it was his opinion that 90%, etc. And then went on to say “some people like it that way”. Never once did he claim that mentally incompetent people were choosing that lifestyle, but ’some people’.
It is simply an opinion, Steve.
raptor… we all know that opinions posted here are subject to retaliation… that’s why I post very little any more. I might add that I’m pretty sure there are many out there that would agree with Republican’s opinion, I don’t even disagree with him totally, I just thought the 90% was an extremely high estimate.
The point is.. everyone READ the original article. It is very well done and horrifyingly true. Libraries are not equipped to deal with the needs of the homeless. The city doesn’t help much, the agencies are out of touch, and we do not privately have the manpower or funding to do what we want either. The issue needs to be addressed by the COMMUNITY as a whole. The focus is one other issues.. Sunday liquor sales, a casino, the Arena. Trust me.. these things are going to make the problem grow unless someone PLANS for the increase in people on the street that will surely come.
It is my opinion that Republican is a disabled veteran because that is what he wants to be.
Raptor is a defender of stupid partisan hackery because that is what he wants to do - IMHO.
Sorry raptor some, things are just dumb on their face. Your rushing in to defend them, doesn’t make them less dumb. But thanks for trying.
should have been:Sorry raptor, some …
Steve…I never insulted you, nor did I make any cheap shots. It is a shame that it is impossible for some people here to express an opinion without being insulted.
Thanks for the prop up raptor. I guess they don’t like to read what I write. Thanks for the support, I know you are one that stands behind his word by deed that you do with the motorcycle guard you post for our fallen heroes.
There have always been people who refuse to work and live on the “street.”
“It is my opinion that Republican is a disabled veteran because that is what he wants to be.” Posted by: Steven Davis | April 18, 2007 at 07:29
In a way that’s true Steve. I could have refused medical treatment and could have refused VA care and assignment of my disabilities.
I could have refused to do anything functional in my life, except be an Eddie Murphy fraud like the bum he played in “Trading Places.”
I could have sought illegal drugs to soothe my pain and slowly drift into a life a paranoia and downward spiraling of self demise.
What I didn’t choose is thirty pounds of aircraft sheet metal parts spearing me from my belly button through a part of my spine.
Lot of these peoples have choices and refuse to take them. That is my opinion like it or not. I’ve actually taken the time to talk to them, gave them money.
I’ve seen them in one part of downtown stooped over asking for money and in another part of town standing erect running down the street to their favorite bar or drug dealer.
One female I’ve met is a particularly good fabricator of tall tales. She asks for money because her school bus she was driving for a church has ran out of gas and she needs $20.00 to get a can and some gas.
That story worked for the first time, it didn’t the second, third and fourth time she tried it on me.
There is always more than meets the eye with these street cases. I don’t pretend to know everything, but I do know what I know and have observed.
I too have observed and interacted with many homeless people, both here in Wichita and in other cities.
What I have found is that while the overwhelming majority appears to be physically ‘normal’ they have some sort of mental or psychological problem that does prevent them from functioning as productive members of ‘normal’ society.
There is inadequate mental health care for many people (both homeless and not). For the homeless, there is nowhere near the funding needed to give those that would benefit from it an adequate level of care such that they could become functioning, job holding, permanent residence having people.
If I remember rightly,some court threw out the right of states to hold these people in an institution for their own good. In my opinion, most would not get help unless forced. there in lies the problem; Can;t force them. I wish I knew what the answer was. They do need help
Very true, LJ…many of them do need help, and the libraries are not the place to provide it.
Locking them up “for their own good” is not an answer, either, especially since it is not a crime to be homeless or mentally ill.
I do not agree with the idea of building a large homeless center as a means of ending ‘chronic homelessness’. My reasoning is that (my opinion only) such a facility could/would draw homeless from other cities/states, and we would only increase the number of homeless in Wichita. Another thought is that such a shelter would continue to ‘enable’ those who are addicted to drugs/alcohol, and would possibly delay their recovery.
Sadly, I do not have an answer, either. Yes, some homeless have actively chosen that path–one of the best known is “activist” Ted Hayes in LA, who walked out of his home, left his family, and quit his job and now lives on the streets.
Now, before I get attacked and pelted, please note I am not saying all homeless are there because of active choice. I am well aware that many homeless are single moms with kids who have been abused/kicked out. Some are mentally ill, and some are just down on their luck. I do not have an answer for it anymore than I have an answer for feeding the 2.8 billion poor people in this world.
I worked with the mentally ill for several years, and COMCARE actually has a separate and distinct program for homeless people who are mentally ill. They send people out to look for the homeless and offer them services. At least in Wichita, it seems that the large majority of homeless ARE mentally ill.
Could we all just get along on this subject and try to discuss it rationally? I will try to state some of my observations and invite your response.
1) The U.S. Supreme Court apparently ruled that the homeless can’t be barred from public facilities such as libraries merely on the basis that they “appear” to be homeless.
2) But mixing the homeless and young people and even senior adults in the downtown Wichita library is like mixing oil and water. The homeless and near homeless are often armed even if only for self defense, carry repugnant odors that transfer to the library furniture, are drug users or sellers, pickpockets, bath in the library restrooms, etc.
3) If the majority of library visitors are the homeless, then this should be recognized. The great library staff should be augmented by trained social workers and police officers.
4) Metal detectors should be installed in the entranceways. Drug sniffing dogs should be routinely taken through the library. All library personnel should be issued some basic defense clothing and personal alarm equipment. All library personnel should be insured for potential physical attack.
5) The valuable collections should be removed for safe keeping. The downtown library has a valuable Native American book collection on the northeast corner of the first floor and a valuable genealogy collection on the lower floor. The second floor contains a large technical collection. The third floor contains a valuable art/music/movie tape collection.
These collections are being systematically reduced in usefulness.
I’m as sympathetic as anyone on the problems but the two situations need to be separated somehow.
In reality, a little bad luck like medical bills, a car accident, a robbery, or something similar would put many families in the street in a couple months.
It is easy to say they should get off their lazy asses and get jobs. However, actually doing some math with average labor rates, cost of housing, and other necessary bills will quickly show that it would be damn near impossible for many of these people to make it.
raptor.. thanks for your honest opinions, but any time someone mentions the word “enable” it ruffles my feathers. Yes.. some people have a tendency to be enabled, others want help stepping up. Most always, to truly help those who want and need help, you have to “enable” a few. We can’t provide proper services to some and tell others that they don’t deserve help. Who chooses who is worthy?
Any facility that is built to provide services for homeless is going to have limited space. Noone has enough money to build the ultimate homeless facility that will draw more homeless people from other cities.
We are trying to build a program somewhat patterned off of Pathways to Housing in New York City. It is a housing first approach that is highly effective in getting people to stick with a program Take a look and see what you think.. we are always open to suggestions and positive criticism.
http://www.pathwaystohousing.org/
I recommend DO NOT EXPAND the downtown Sedgwick County jail to the north to that east-west street just north of the jail as is now planned … using our tax dollars.
As an alternative, use that open ground space to build a treatment facility to be used for all types of offenders to try to reduce the jail population.
This situation has got to stop … that is, constantly increasing the inmate population at some $29,000 per year per inmate when a bed, meals, cable TV and tasty snacks are provided. The figure of $29,000 was provided by State Senator Phil Journey who is on a legislative justice committee.
An outpatient services alternative must be started as soon as possible. I realize local government probably already does this to some degree but the pipeline needs to be drastically increased.
JWink.. I would hate to see the library turned into a fortress when the money could be better spent providing the homeless with an alternative place to go.
“As an alternative, use that open ground space to build a treatment facility to be used for all types of offenders to try to reduce the jail population. >
It would also help to use a little more common sense and don’t lock up suspected hot dog thieves for 60 or 90 days!
Kansassam: I will ask you — I have been told that aggressive dangerous homeless males go to the downtown library in order to be in contact with teenagers, elderly and public who go there during the day. What do you think?
“It is a shame that it is impossible for some people here to express an opinion without being insulted.”
I would agree with that, and it is odd, that for the first time ever, Republican, posts a post, (the one) after yours, that makes sense and is one that I support.
This whole topic comes down to one question, IMHO, what kind of society do we want to be? One that takes in and cares for those who are less fortunate, due to no cause of their own making; or a society that simply does not give a crap one way or the other. I know the answer for me.
How about the rest of you?
I remember the day that Texas State Government decided it was cheaper to kick the bewildered mentally ill out of the hospitals with a handful of meds rather than spend “their party money” expanding the facilities, as was their responsibility.
As government does nowadays, they came up with a name: “The Homeless” and chalked it off to that.
New York City has over 90 thousand living under the city in old deep tunnels, rather than spend “their party money” and do what government is supposed to do.
The name “homeless” is catchy { and cheaper }.
JWink…
I think the homeless go to the library to escape the extreme heat and cold, or because they have nowhere else to go and nothing much to do.
Personally, in all my time on the street, I have met only one homeless man that I would consider aggressive and dangerous. He also could be a gentleman when he was not drinking or drugging, which was rare. He died of an overdose in a motel room not long ago, and I lost a friend. He would always seek us out when he was troubled, and always treated us with respect. Most of these people get a bad rap.. they will treat you the same way you treat them. Usually they just want to be left alone, and to be treated like a human being.
With that, I will also say that the library is NOT a good place for most of them. That’s the point, they need somewhere else to go that is equipped to deal with all of their issues and problems.
“Usually they just want to be left alone, and to be treated like a human being.”
————–
If this is true - why are they wanting us to provide places for them to live and sleep?
They MUST know that if they request help - it will come along with the humans they requested it of.
People TRY to help and when they see the homeless, they think all that might be needed is a little ‘boost’ to get them on their feet again.
But what if they don’t WANT to be on their feet?
Should we take a Mother Teresa approach and continue to feed and shelter these folks when they refuse to contribute to their own wellbeing?
I’m not talking about helping folks who are just down on their luck - I’m talking about people who are chronically homeless and don’t have any intentions of changing that - even if presented with the means to do so.
Should we erect “tent cities” and just let them bunk there, eat what volunteers can scrounge up?
Free medical care?No medical care?
GSheridan..
They are constantly rousted, detained, made to move, and their possessions confiscated or thrown in the trash. Most of the “attention” they get is NOT positive. Doesn’t mean they don’t need, want or deserve help. A few do not want and will not accept help, there is nothing we can do for them.
I don’t know what you mean by “people TRY to help “. If you mean handing them a few bucks, that is what I would truly call “enabling” because you probably just bought them alcohol or drugs. Buy them food, give them coupons to a fast food place, or give them whatever they say they need, but don’t give them cash!
Most of your other questions I have already addressed upstream.
GSheridan..
They are constantly rousted, detained, made to move, and their possessions confiscated or thrown in the trash. Most of the “attention” they get is NOT positive. Doesn’t mean they don’t need, want or deserve help. A few do not want and will not accept help, there is nothing we can do for them.
I don’t know what you mean by “people TRY to help “. If you mean handing them a few bucks, that is what I would truly call “enabling” because you probably just bought them alcohol or drugs. Buy them food, give them coupons to a fast food place, or give them whatever they say they need, but don’t give them cash!
Most of your other questions I have already addressed upstream.
Thank you TypePad for that duplication.
I have used the Wichita public libraries less and less in the last couple of years due to the mean library staff - I don’t mind the homeless person who keeps to him/herself.