Resources

 

featured links

“Classism in the Stacks: Libraries and Poor People”
Sanford Berman, Street Spirit (February 2006)
www.thestreetspirit.org/Feb2006/libraries.htm

“Low-Income Working Families: Facts and Figures”
The Urban Institute
www.urban.org/publications/900832.html

 

basic needs

2-1-1 / Community Services Referral
United Way / Alliance of Information & Referral Services (AIRS)
www.211.org

America’s Literacy Directory
National Institute for Literacy (and others)
www.literacydirectory.org

Child Care Aware
National Assoc. of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies
www.childcareaware.org/

Community Health Center Locator
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc/

Community Voice Mail
www.cvm.org

Discount Phone Service: Lifeline and Link-Up
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
www.lifeline.gov/lifeline_Consumers.html

Eldercare Locator
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx

Finding Low-Cost Health Care 101
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=18

FindLegalHelp.org
American Bar Association
www.findlegalhelp.org

FirstStep / Federal Benefit Programs for Homeless People
www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/firststep/index.html

Food Bank Locator
Feeding America
http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx

Food Stamp Program Locator
U.S. Department of Agriculture
www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/map.htm

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Programs
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
www.liheap.ncat.org/links.htm

Low-Rent Apartment Search (Section 8 Housing)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
www.hud.gov/apps/section8/index.cfm

Mental Health Services Locator
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
https://www.samhsa.gov/

National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/NationalCallCenter.asp
1-877-4AID VET (1-877-424-3838)

SafeLink Wireless
www.safelinkwireless.com

Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov

 

books

An Atlas of Poverty in America: One Nation, Pulling Apart / 1960-2003
Amy Glasmeier, Poverty in America Project (New York: Routledge, 2005)

Citizen Hobo: How a Century of Homelessness Shaped America
Todd DePastino (Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 2003)

Down & Out, on the Road: The Homeless in American History
Kenneth L. Kusmer (New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 2001)

Encyclopedia of Homelessness
David Levinson, ed. (London: Sage Publications, 2004)

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
Barbara Ehrenreich (New York: Owl Books, 2002)

No Shame in My Game: The Working Poor in the Inner City
Katherine S. Newman (New York: Vintage, 2000)

Poor People
William T. Vollmann (New York: Ecco, 2007)

Poverty and Inequality
David B. Grusky and Ravi Kanbur, eds. (Palo Alto, Calif.: Stanford Univ. Press, 2006)

Poverty in America: A Handbook
John Iceland (Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 2003)

Rachel and Her Children: Homeless Families in America
Jonathan Kozol (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2006)

see also—Resources / Library Services for Poor People
www.hhptf.org/resources/#library-services-for-poor-people

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities of Our Time
Jeffrey Sachs (New York: The Penguin Press, 2005)

The Right to the City: Social Justice and the Fight for Public Space
Don Mitchell (New York: The Guilford Press, 2003)

The Working Poor: Invisible in America
David K. Shipler (New York: Knopf, 2004)

Too Much: Good Reads
www.toomuchonline.org/goodreads.html

 

children & families

50-State Policies Database
National Center for Children in Poverty
This database provides information about state and federal policies that assist low-income families and children.
http://nccp.org/tools/policy

Directory of Pro Bono Children’s Law Programs (PDF)
American Bar Association
http://tinyurl.com/oep5l

Family Economic Success
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
www.aecf.org/Home/MajorInitiatives/FamilyEconomicSuccess.aspx

Low-Income Working Families
The Urban Institute
www.urban.org/toolkit/issues/workingfamilies.cfm

MDRC / Families & Children
www.mdrc.org/area_index_2.html

Publications from The Annie E. Casey Foundation
This site offers several categories of free reports that address the needs of low-income families and communities.
www.aecf.org/OrderPublications.aspx

“Twenty State Policies to Create Bright Futures for America’s Children, Families and Communities”
Center for the Study of Social Policy (2008)
www.policymatters.us/fullreport.html

Working Poor Families Project
The Annie E. Casey Foundation and others
www.workingpoorfamilies.org

 

community building

2009 Advocates’ Guide to Housing and Community Development Policy (pdf)
National Low Income Housing Coalition
http://www.nlihc.org/doc/AdvocacyGuide2009-web.pdf

Community Action Partnership: America’s Poverty Fighting Network
www.communityactionpartnership.com

HHS Compassion Capital Fund Guidebooks
www.ich.gov/guidebooks.htm

Libraries Build Communities
http://librariesbuildcommunities.org

MDRC / Workers & Communities
www.mdrc.org/area_index_3.html

Shelterforce
National Housing Institute
www.nhi.org/online

The Aspen Institute Roundtable on Community Change
http://tinyurl.com/zkpvo

The Citizen’s Handbook: A Guide to Building Community
Charles Dobson, Vancouver Citizen’s Committee
www.vcn.bc.ca/citizens-handbook

The Engaged Library: Chicago Stories of Community Building (PDF)
Urban Libraries Council (Feb. 2006)
http://urbanlibraries.org/associations/9851/files/ULC_PFSC_Engaged_0206.pdf

The Finance Project: Information Resource Center
www.financeproject.org/irc.asp

 

funding & grants

Acquiring Public Grants (PDF)
Compassion Capital Fund National Resource Center
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/ccf/about_ccf/gbk_pdf/ga_gbk.pdf

ALA Grants & Fellowships
www.ala.org/ala/awardsgrants/grants/index.cfm

Foundation Center
http://fdncenter.org

Global Libraries Program
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
www.gatesfoundation.org/topics/Pages/libraries.aspx

Grants for Libraries: A How-To-Do-It Manual and CD-ROM for Librarians
Stephanie Gerding and Pamela MacKellar (New York: Neal-Schuman, 2006)
www.neal-schuman.com/bdetail.php?isbn=1555705359

Grants for Nonprofits: Libraries
Michigan State University Libraries
www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/2lib.htm

Grants.gov
www.grants.gov

Guidelines for Grant Seekers
The Ford Foundation
www.fordfound.org/grants/inquiry

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Grants
www.imls.gov/applicants/applicants.shtm

Library Grants (blog)
Stephanie Gerding & Pam MacKellar
http://librarygrants.blogspot.com

NPC Research Grants
National Poverty Center, Univ. of Michigan
www.npc.umich.edu/opportunities/research_grants

Pathways Out of Poverty
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
http://mott.org/Home/about/programs/pathwaysoutofpoverty.aspx

 

law & public policy

Center for Law and Social Policy
www.clasp.org

Clearinghouse Review
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
www.povertylaw.org/clearinghouse-review

“Facts About Street Rights” (PDF)
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/crimreport/Street_Rights_Card.pdf

Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy
Georgetown University
www.law.georgetown.edu/journals/poverty

GovTrack.us
www.govtrack.us

“Homes Not Handcuffs: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities”
Nat’l Coalition for the Homeless / Nat’l Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/crimreport/index.html

LLSDC’s Legislative Source Book
Law Librarians’ Society of Washington, D.C. Inc.
www.llsdc.org/sourcebook

National Priorities Project
www.nationalpriorities.org

Poverty Law Library
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
www.povertylaw.org/poverty-law-library

Poverty Law News
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
www.povertylaw.org/news-and-events/poverty-law-news

Poverty Law Research Guide
Georgetown University Law Library
www.ll.georgetown.edu/guides/poverty.cfm

Public Agenda: Poverty and Welfare
www.publicagenda.org/citizen/issueguides/poverty-and-welfare

see also—Resources / Children & Families
www.hhptf.org/resources/#children-and-families

“The Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness”
National Alliance to End Homelessness
www.endhomelessness.org/section/tools/tenyearplan

The Urban Institute: Issues
www.urban.org/issues/index.cfm

Thomas: U.S. Congress on the Internet
http://thomas.loc.gov

 

library services for poor people

“A Long Struggle to Force Libraries to Serve the Poor” (PDF)
Sanford Berman, Street Spirit (January 2001)
http://www.sanfordberman.org/biblinks/poor.pdf

“Access for All” Self-Assessment Toolkit
The Museum, Libraries and Archives Council, UK
http://mla.decenturl.com/access-for-all

ALA Policy 61 – Library Services for the Poor
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/governance/policymanual/servicespoor.cfm

ALA Policy 61 / Recommendations for Action

Implementing ALA's Poor People's Policy

“Bibliography on Library Services to Poor People”
Ariel W. Collins, University of Alberta (2002)
www.slis.ualberta.ca/cap03/ariel/home.html

Bookmobile and Outreach Services
Center for the Study of Rural Librarianship
http://jupiter.clarion.edu/~csrl/bos.htm

“Breaking Barriers: Libraries and Socially Excluded Communities” (PDF)
Annette DeFaveri, Information for Social Change (No. 21, Summer 2005)
http://libr.org/isc/articles/21/9.pdf

From Outreach to Equity: Innovative Models of Library Policy and Practice
Robin Osborne, ed. (Chicago: ALA, 2004)

“Homeless People in the Library: Legal Issues”
Mary Minow, Infopeople (September 27, 2005)
www.infopeople.org/training/webcasts/webcast_data/119/index.html

“Homeless Perspectives of the Public Library” (PDF)
Aisha A. Harvey, Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (July 2002)
http://ils.unc.edu/MSpapers/2777.pdf

“Homelessness in Eastern King County: Information Flow, Human Service Needs, and Pivotal Interventions” (PDF)
SJ Alexander, et al. (August 26, 2005)
http://ibec.ischool.washington.edu/pubs/UWKC.main.report.pdf

“Just a Little Understanding: A Social-Service Provider’s Perspective on Homeless Library Users”
John Gehner and Kali Freeman (Sept. 19, 2005)
www.hhptf.org/article/5

“Libraries and the Homeless: Caregivers or Enforcers”
Judi Silver, The Katharine Sharp Review (No. 2, Winter 1996)

Libraries to the People: Histories of Outreach
Robert S. Freeman and David M. Hovde, eds. (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland and Co., 2003)

Literacy and Social Inclusion: The Handbook
National Literacy Trust and The Basic Skills Agency
www.literacytrust.org.uk/socialinclusion/handbook.html

Literacy in Libraries Across America Initiative
MDRC / National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
www.mdrc.org/project_32_22.html

“One Day I Will Make It”
MDRC / National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
www.mdrc.org/publications/401/execsum.html

Outreach to People Experiencing Homelessness Curriculum
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
www.nhchc.org/outreach1.html

Poor People and Library Services
Karen M. Venturella, ed. (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland and Co., 1998)

see also—Resources / Social Exclusion
www.hhptf.org/resources/#social-exclusion

“The Shelter of the Library”
Michael McGrorty, Library Dust (Nov. 29, 2004)
http://librarydust.typepad.com/library_dust/2004/11/the_shelter_of_.html

Welcome to Your Library (UK)
London Libraries Development Agency
www.welcometoyourlibrary.org.uk

“Working Effectively in the Community” (PDF)
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
http://tinyurl.com/kl68f

Working Together Project (Canada)
Funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada
www.librariesincommunities.ca

 

periodicals

Counterpoise
www.counterpoise.info

Dollars and Sense: The Magazine of Economic Justice
www.dollarsandsense.org

Focus
Institute for Research on Poverty, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison
www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/focus.htm

Information for Social Change
www.libr.org/ISC/

Mother Warriors Voice
Welfare Warriors
http://welfarewarriors.org/CURRENT_MWV.htm

NEED Magazine
www.needmagazine.com

North American Street Newspaper Association
www.nasna.org

Poor Magazine Online / Poor News Network
www.poormagazine.com

Poverty Action Report / WomanView
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
www.povertylaw.org/news-and-events

Poverty Dispatches (via e-mail)
Institute for Research on Poverty, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison
www.irp.wisc.edu/initiatives/outreach/dispatch.htm

Poverty Magazine (UK)
Child Poverty Action Group
www.cpag.org.uk/info/povertyarticleshome.htm

Progressive Librarian
http://libr.org/pl/

Real Change
www.realchangenews.org

Street News Service
www.streetnewsservice.org

Street Roots
www.streetroots.org

Too Much: A Commentary on Excess and Inequality
www.toomuchonline.org

“Words on the Street: Homeless People’s Newspapers”
Chris Dodge, American Libraries (August 1999)
www.geocities.com/soho/cafe/7423/streetpapers.html

 

personal accounts

A Librarian at the Kitchen Table (Kathleen de la Pena McCook)
http://librarianoutreach.blogspot.com

“A Resident of Nowhere” (PDF)
Ed Loring, Sojourners (March 1987)
http://tinyurl.com/z9mky

Barbara’s Blog (Barbara Ehrenreich)
http://ehrenreich.blogs.com/barbaras_blog/

Every Success Story Is a Great Story
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
www.nhchc.org/SuccessStories.html

“Fighting Poverty in America Series”
National Public Radio (2006)
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5317290

“Hard Work, Hard Times Series”
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (2005)

“How a Regular Guy Gets Homeless”
Les Gapay, USA Today (September 22, 2003)
www.commondreams.org/views03/0922-12.htm

“If You’re Young, Black, and Poor, a Library Offers Hope”
Miles M. Jackson, The Honolulu Advertiser (March 10, 2002)
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Mar/10/op/op07a.html

“Over 100 Stories of Homeless and Formerly Homeless Human Beings”
Urban Anthropology Inc.
www.urban-anthropology.org/homeless_study.html

Seattle University’s Tent City
http://www.seattleu.edu/tentcity/

see also—Resources / Periodicals
www.hhptf.org/resources/#periodicals

“Shame of the City: A Special Report on the Homeless”
Kevin Fagan and Brant Ward, San Francisco Chronicle (Dec. 2003)
http://sfgate.com/gate/special/pages/2003/homeless/

The Forgotten Americans
Hector Galan, KLRU and PBS Online (December 2000)
www.pbs.org/klru/forgottenamericans

The Homeless Guy (Kevin Barbieux)
http://thehomelessguy.blogspot.com

 

research aids

Data Tools
National Center for Children in Poverty
This page offers a Basic Needs Calculator, Family Resource Simulator, Income Converter, and other research tools.

Data Tools

Homelessness: A Pollak Library Research Guide
California State University Fullerton
http://guides.library.fullerton.edu/Homelessness/

Links to Other Resources
National Low Income Housing Coalition
www.nlihc.org/template/page.cfm?id=54

Poverty in America Bibliography
Hartwick College
http://www.hartwick.edu/x2197.xml

Poverty-Related Links by Category
Institute for Research on Poverty, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison
www.irp.wisc.edu/links/category.htm

Poverty-Related Links by Institution
Institute for Research on Poverty, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison
www.irp.wisc.edu/links/institution.htm

Poverty: A Pollak Library Research Guide
California State University Fullerton
http://guides.library.fullerton.edu/poverty/

see also—Resources / Statistics
www.hhptf.org/resources/#statistics

 

social exclusion

Context for Social Exclusion Work
Social Exclusion Task Force, Cabinet Office (UK)
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/social_exclusion_task_force/context.aspx

“Libraries and Community Cohesion” (PDF)
John Vincent, Museums, Libraries and Archives South East, UK (April 2005)
http://seapn.decenturl.com/libraries-and-cohesion

Literacy and Social Inclusion Project
National Literacy Trust and The Basic Skills Agency
www.literacytrust.org.uk/socialinclusion/index.html

“Making a Difference: Innovation and Diversity”
Social Inclusion Executive Advisory Group to CILIP, UK (Sept. 2004)
http://cilip.decenturl.com/making-a-difference

“Open to All? / Public Library Policy and Social Exclusion”(doc)
The Network
http://seapn.decenturl.com/open-to-all (doc)

see also—Organizations / Social Exclusion
www.hhptf.org/organizations/#social-exclusion-and-inclusion

“Social Exclusion: The European Approach to Social Disadvantage” (PDF)
Hilary Silver and S.M. Miller, Indicators (Spring 2003)
http://tinyurl.com/fhsmk

Statistics on Poverty and Social Exclusion
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
www.poverty.org.uk/index.htm

“Tackling Social Exclusion”
John Vincent, Information for Social Change (No. 15, Summer 2002)
www.libr.org/isc/articles/15-Vincent.html

The Network Newsletter
“Tackling Social Exclusion in Libraries, Museums, Archives & Galleries”
www.seapn.org.uk/newsletters

“Understanding Social Inclusion, Social Cohesion and Social Capital” (PDF)
Robert J. Oxby, Dept. of Economics, University of Calgary (June 2009)
http://econ.ucalgary.decenturl.com/understanding-social-inclusion

 

statistics

50-State Demographics
National Center for Children in Poverty

Data Tools

FedStats
www.fedstats.gov

NLIHC State Level Information
National Low Income Housing Coalition
www.nlihc.org/partners/map.cfm

Poverty Guidelines, Research, and Measurement
U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
This site features facts and FAQs, links to poverty research centers, and research tips.
http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml

Statistical Resources on the Web: Demographics and Housing
University of Michigan
www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stdemog.html

U.S. Census Bureau: American FactFinder
Plug in location information and click “Go.” You’ll obtain a Fact Sheet that includes data on families and individuals living below the federal poverty line in your area.
http://factfinder.census.gov

U.S. Census Bureau: Poverty
This site is a clearinghouse of federal poverty data.
www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty.html

U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates
The SAIPE site features searchable data on school districts, counties, and states.
www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/index.html

 

teaching aids

Fact Sheets for Kids: Homelessness
National Alliance to End Homelessness
www.naeh.org/section/data/data_and_research

Fact Sheets on Homelessness
National Coalition for the Homeless
www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/facts.html

Hunger 101: Curricula and Materials
Atlanta Community Food Bank
www.acfb.org/projects/hunger_101/curricula/

Kids Can Make a Difference
www.kidscanmakeadifference.org

Oxfam Education
Oxfam GB
www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources

Read to Feed / Heifer International
http://heifereducation.decenturl.com/read-to-feed

Social Justice Resources Center
Virginia Tech
http://www.ceutonline.com/diversity/about.cfm

Student Advocacy Manuals
National Student Campaign Against Hunger & Homelessness
www.studentsagainsthunger.org/manuals-and-factsheets

“Teaching for Social Justice”
Herbert Kohl, Rethinking Schools (Winter 2000/2001)
www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/15_02/Just152.shtml

Teaching Resources
Make Poverty History
www.makepovertyhistory.org/schools/index.shtml

“The Realities and Experience of Homelessness”
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
www.nhchc.org/Curriculum/module1/module1D/module1d.htm

United Nations CyberSchoolBus: Poverty Curriculum
This material is designed for grades five through 12.
www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/poverty2000/index.asp