“Our mission is about connecting people to all sorts of information resources, many times in non-traditional ways.”
Category: library-and-info-science
Libraries + Technology =Helping the Poor
“Most (people) think that homeless people are all criminals, on drugs, alcoholics. They think we don’t try to get out of homelessness and that we aren’t successful at anything. Some (homeless people) have college degrees and because of the economy got laid off.”—AnnMarie Walsh
“When Walsh found herself homeless, she used the computers in Chicago’s public libraries to not only look for ways of getting out of her situation but also to share thoughts and worries about her day-to-day struggle, such as finding [a] hostel bed for the night. As her following grew, she began to receive tips on shelters or even gifts of warm clothes and blankets.”
Walsh will speak at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library on Jan. 29,2012.
Community Building at Burlington Public Library
Burlington Public Library builds community by hosting Help Me, Help Someone, a support and networking group for people facing difficulties.
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Libraries add laptops to serve poor areas
“Six Milwaukee public libraries have brought in 240 laptop computers to improve Internet access in poor neighborhoods.”
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Empty summer in the city for kids hit by cutbacks
This is not the year of child.
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Homeless connecting with family, friends through social networking
“Case workers at The Road Home say many homeless people do have cell phones, but rules require they have to go to public libraries and other places to connect online for social networking.”
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Libraries dealing with homeless try new approaches; San Francisco hires a social worker
San Francisco Public Library is the first. Read more here.
Helping Patrons Through Hard Times
Washington State Library sees library patrons suffering and they are offering assistance. Their partnership with the Washington State Employment Security Department/WorkSource (ESD) provides information/training; online resources; face-to-face training for library staff with employment services staff; online training on topics of interest; and programs for volunteers to help neighbors in the library all in an effort to get communities through these hard times. See Hard Times online.