“Every day is a day for learning. Chicagoans need and deserve access to information and technology every day of the week. Adding Sunday hours in libraries across the city is an important step in our commitment to equity and access,” said CPL Commissioner Chris Brown. “Mayor Lightfoot’s leadership and support for expanded Sunday hours has been instrumental in bringing this opportunity to all Chicagoans.”
Author: Lisa Gieskes
Homelessness: Emergency shelter and the Ramada Inn
Over the past year, 158 unsheltered people were provided temporary shelter at the Red Roof Inn. During this period, the City and its partners were able to help 42 people transition to permanent housing. Given the success in connecting people to permanent housing through the homeless shelter at the Red Roof Inn, the City of Asheville is proposing a project to continue that work.
Join an in person meeting on Thursday, August 12, 5 – 7 p.m. at the East Asheville Library, 3 Avon Road.
Asheville City Council is expected to review and consider approval of this property purchase and funding for operations at their 5 p.m. August 24 Council meeting. If this project is approved by City Council, the City will purchase the Ramada Inn property and budget funds for operations. Funding for this project is proposed through key partnerships and federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Coos County Libraries to Offer Free Social Work Services
A social worker will be available in three Coos County libraries and it will be a free service.
Virginia Beach Public Library Drops Overdue Fines for Kids Moving Forward
“Equal and equitable access to information is a core value of libraries,” said Director of Libraries Eva Poole. “Removing overdue fines from youth accounts is a first step in removing economic barriers to accessing library materials, especially for children who may need us the most. Inability to pay fines may prevent families from returning materials or visiting the library at all. The goal is to get the materials back into our collection, and to encourage families to continue using the library.”
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Wants to Get Rid of Late Fines
“The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library intends to soon stop fining patrons for overdue books, joining a growing national trend to support some of the most vulnerable library patrons.”
Bay County Library System Goes Fine Free
“What’s important is that people use their libraries. We want to make sure that our community has access to the materials and services we provide,” said a statement from the BCLS. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have not charged any overdue fines so patrons had one less thing to worry about, so we are already positioned to join the many other libraries across the state who are fine free. Fines account for less than one-half of one percent of our revenues.”
‘Tiny house’ Indoor Village Opening
“Minneapolis nonprofit Avivo is opening an indoor ‘village’ with ‘tiny houses’ in March, providing a COVID-safe and secure place for 100 adults. The two-year pilot program, called Avivo Village, could become a post-pandemic template for private emergency shelters in place of the usual congregate sleeping spaces.”
Social Equity Policy at San Diego Library Boosting Branches in Low-Income Neighborhoods
“While libraries all over the country have followed suit on eliminating fines, [Executive Director] Jones said she believes San Diego is the only library system that has a social equity component to its matching funds policy.”
2020 Year in Review
Booklist Committee Volunteers Needed
From picture books onwards, “home” as a predictable, stable and safe place is a central subject despite a significant percentage of people who experience homelessness. These experiences are not often written about and if they are, not positively reflected in literature. To create more equitable literacy learning environments, as well as providing a counterpoint to the negative images so often created, we need opportunities to explore economic diversity and to challenge harmful discourses about people experiencing homelessness.
With this in mind, the Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty Task Force of SRRT (HHPTF) is creating a booklist of recommended books for all ages, as well as a guide to help with selecting books that are respectful and supportive of people who are experiencing homelessness.
Interested? Email us!