Hunger, Homelessness & Poverty Task Force – SRRT/ALA
Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association
The National Center for Children in Poverty has just published a new report in its Child Poverty in 21st Century America Series. “Who Are America’s Poor Children?” notes the following: Twelve million children live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level—which is about $16,000 for a family of three and $19,000 for a … Continue reading “Who Are America's Poor Children?”
The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library has opened an Information Center at Horizon House, a homeless day center in downtown Indianapolis. The information center includes three personal computers from which visitors are guided directly to the Library’s Infoport Portal Page and easy-to-access resource links, streamlining the process of receiving the information they need and reducing unnecessary … Continue reading “Indiana Library Starts Info Service at Homeless Center”
by John Gehner and Kali Freeman This information is provided in conjunction with the Infopeople Webcast “Library Services and the Homeless: A Legal Perspective,” presented by Mary Minow and available here. How well do you know the lowest-income members of your community? Does your library invite their input for decision-making? Are you aware of their … Continue reading “Just a Little Understanding: A Social-Service Provider’s Perspective on Homeless Library Users”
In the wake of recent news reports, the Hunger, Homelessness & Poverty Task Force wishes to express concern about public libraries adopting punitive policies clearly targeted at homeless people. “Odor policies” of the sort enacted by San Luis Obispo County, California, and the “civility campaign” launched by Salt Lake City Library to “teach the homeless, … Continue reading “Are Public Libraries Criminalizing Poor People?”