Porter County pulls library cards from children in shelters

[deadparrot]

New restrictions on library access mean homeless children can no longer borrow books from the Porter County library system.

The move also restricts borrowing for adults staying in a variety of Porter County residential shelters.

And while library officials call it fiscal responsibility, one resident of Spring Valley Shelter in Valparaiso, which serves Porter County’s homeless, calls it discrimination.

Rachel Jamieson, 26, and her three children have been living at Spring Valley the last week and a half as they seek permanent housing.

http://www.post-trib.com/cgi-bin/pto-story/news/z1/06-20-06_z1_news_01.html

[Robbien]

1. How does this save libraries any money?

This is just wrong in so many ways.

[Igel]

2. It sounds like the kids were checking out materials

and not returning them.

Must be a small or poor library (system?); $4k in the last few years. But in audio-visual stuff. Does that include books, or just DVDs and CDs?

It's also unclear what the effect actually is. The kids can't check out materials, but adults can. Are there kids without parents or guardians in the shelters?

Sounds bad; but there's not enough info to nail it as 'yep, really bad.'

[chill_wind]

3. We sink into more small but sure bouts of craziness every day

Reading--- a joy, a temporal escape from the pain and miseries of displacement, loss, uncertainty--- low-cost to free-- advancement of literacy, which we claim to value in this country--

This is so twisted.

[NYC]

5. I agree with you.

The homeless children need books more than anyone.

Emily Dickinson: There is no frigate like a book...

[chill_wind]

8. I grew up in a series of foster homes. Books were my solace

and my abiding refuge from an often unfathomable real world. Thank god for the steadfast salvation of free public libraries.

[EFerrari]

10. My single parent went through years of really bad and untreated

mental illness. Without reading, I would have hung it up.

I emailed the reporter to ask who we can talk to about this in the community. Maybe something can be done.

:mad:

[donco6]

24. I used to LIVE in the library when I was a kid.

Besides being one place in town that had air-conditioning, I loved reading books.

[lostnfound]

39. Hi.

Mind if I send you a :hug: or two :hug: :hug:?
I can't imagine the heartaches of such a childhood.
I hope..well, I hope that life makes it up to you in some really wonderful ways.

[Tigress DEM]

31. Well, if you're homeless... you must be lawless.. (not)

I guess it's more like, well if they don't return it, where will we send the bill?

[WinkyDink]

4. This is what disgusts me about wealthy people: That they can allow

such dilemmas to exist.
IOW, how many small libraries could the pocket change of Oprah or even Paris Hilton fund?

Or how many pairs of Ferragamos might Condi forego?

[chill_wind]

6. So right to ask.

Or to use another example--

37 MILLION in Congress earmarks for military technology the PENTAGON ITSELF doesn't even want.

Project M
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/18/AR2006061800631.html?nav=rss_politics

How many books, (or how many meals and shelters, health care visits, case-workers, job-training, other therapy for children and struggling parents would that buy?)


But we keep funding and voting for this run-away insanity.

[Tigress DEM]

32. Maybe we could get the millions back from Parsons Co...

They have now started and bailed on 3 projects in Iraq.

Took the money but didn't do the work.

Track them down, have the army beat them sensless.. torture away.. get our money back and give it to the libraries. Problem solved.

[Erika]

7. W's America. Discriminate against the poor

They may gain respect in fighting his oil wars. He considers their lives cheap.

[roguevalley]

9. what a bunch of cretins. my mom was a librarian for 36 years and

she's appalled at this.

[EFerrari]

11. I think this story makes me madder than all the rest.

How dare anyone consider removing the one escape from reality these kids have that is actually GOOD for them.

[Tigress DEM]

34. I guess you haven't seen the AT&T "writing our own laws now"

post....


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1475312

<snip>

The new policy says that AT&T -- not customers -- owns customers' confidential info and can use it "to protect its legitimate business interests, safeguard others, or respond to legal process."

The policy also indicates that AT&T will track the viewing habits of customers of its new video service -- something that cable and satellite providers are prohibited from doing.

Moreover, AT&T (formerly known as SBC) is requiring customers to agree to its updated privacy policy as a condition for service -- a new move that legal experts say will reduce customers' recourse for any future data sharing with government authorities or others.

[EFerrari]

37. I did see it. Makes me think that this is something of an admission

of guilt -- or, why change their agreement?

[Robeson]

12. Yep, no reason to let these kids try to better themselves through...

...education. Better to just let them remain a permanent homeless class...:sarcasm: :mad:

What a country! And I do use that term lightly, nowadays.

[I Have A Dream]

18. Well, if they had HOPE, maybe they wouldn't join the...

military as they are expected to do.

They must be made to feel as though they don't have any options. :(

[Skarbrowe]

13. Geez. I used to live in Porter County. Indiana blows it again. I know

libraries in most counties are hurting for funds, but there has to be a way around this particular dilemma. Everything sounds so cruel these days.

[Robeson]

14. Yes, they'er hurting for funds, but I wonder how many books the...

...cost of one bunker buster bomb could provide? Then, again, I guess my priorities are different than that of our ruling class.

[bklyncowgirl]

15. As a librarian, transient populations are often a problem

I'm not condemning the library without learning more about this.

Over the years I've dealt with residents from various shelters, halfway houses, etc. and there is a problem with items being taken out and never returned. Let's face it, people don't stay in shelters forever. If permanent housing becomes available or their situation changes they're out of there and if they happen to have one of your books or dvds at the time, that item is most likely a goner.

We usually put it down to the cost of doing business but if it's a new, expensive or popular item that hurts, especially if your budget is tight. Seeing the same address over and over again on delinquent item reports can be galling.

One solution would be to work with the shelter to develop a deposit collection arrangement. The library would drop off a load of books each month and the shelter would be responsible for checking them out to the residents. If the book is lost or damaged--the shelter pays for it. Another would be to have someone from the shelter take the kids as a group and charge out the items on an institutional card. That way the shelter can keep tabs on who has what and if a family's set to move out they can try and get the item back. We do this with schools all the time.

The shelter would have to be willing to make good on lost items and of course many of them are not. There are alternatives--eg the library could run a book drive for the shelter.

I'm not condemning them without knowing more. Unfortunately the link didn't work.

[deadparrot]

16. Here's a couple more:

Sorry, the one provided worked last night. :hi:

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/news/14866785.htm?source=rss&channel=journalgazette_news
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060621/NEWS02/606210535
http://www.wishtv.com/global/story.asp?s=5054109

[chill_wind]

19. Yours sound like constructive proposals.

In one of the links (updated) one of the Shelter officials proposing at least talking about other possible solutions, such as a drop box at the shelter itself. Seems like a possible start.

"Tom Isakson, program director for the Christian Community Action that runs Spring Valley Shelter, said he would like to talk with the library board about other solutions. They would include having a drop box at the shelter or asking residents to sign waivers so the directors could better track their use."

As it is-- kids up to age of 17. Yikes!

"The policy allows adults living in shelters to receive a renewable library card on a three-month basis. Children 17 and younger who live in the shelters will not be eligible for a library card."

[EFerrari]

20. Really? I do condemn them. It's discrimination against the poor

the infirm and the mentally ill.

Instead of getting better care and resources, once again the victim is blamed for the failure of our social programs and resources are withdrawn.

It's the American Way.

[Tigress DEM]

33. But off the top of your head you list common sense solutions..

And if the goal of that Library was to find a solution, there would be some note of pros and cons etc... most librarians are pretty damm smart.

The thing is.. no options were examined if all they can come up with is denial of service. These people are not working something out that is fair to the Library AND the people involved.

Even just saying you have to leave a deposit to get the book back would be better than closing the doors... in the faces of people who need the libraries more than most.



****** You said ******

One solution would be to work with the shelter to develop a deposit collection arrangement. The library would drop off a load of books each month and the shelter would be responsible for checking them out to the residents. If the book is lost or damaged--the shelter pays for it.

Another would be to have someone from the shelter take the kids as a group and charge out the items on an institutional card. That way the shelter can keep tabs on who has what and if a family's set to move out they can try and get the item back. We do this with schools all the time.

[bleedingheart]

17. books were my best friends growing up...

how can they rob children of books because of poverty....???

[donco6]

21. It's too bad the library can't coordinate a RIF program.

We use it here in my school district. It's actually a lot of fun and we've seen great things happen with kids because of it:

RIF is a grassroots organization: coordinators determine the scope of their programs, including which children to serve, which books to order, which activities to provide, and even where to operate. Any public agency or private nonprofit group may apply to RIF to start a program. Wherever you serve kids, be it in a school, library, childcare center, Head Start program, detention center, community center, health clinic, migrant camp, or domestic shelter, RIF can be an excellent supplement to your services.

Book distributions are at the heart of every RIF program. RIF volunteers select and buy inexpensive books to offer to youngsters at special events during which kids choose one book each to keep for their very own. Some RIF programs, such as Family of Readers and Shared Beginnings, serve not only children, but their parents and caregivers, too.

To generate enthusiasm for books and reading, volunteers incorporate storytellers, costumed book characters, guest readers, and visits from authors. But most motivating of all, RIF programs encourage the participation of kids' parents, caregivers, and community members. The goal is to motivate children to want to read by giving them books they like and showing them that reading is fun and important.

http://www.rif.org/about/startprogram/default.mspx

[chill_wind]

22. Sounds so positive. A community volunteer spirit can do so much good.

And-- whatever happened to book mobiles? (I remember those well as a rural kid.)

[donco6]

23. They still exist!

We have one here that goes around to the schools each week. Again, a volunteer drives it.

[nealmhughes]

25. I am presently working on an academic journal article on this very issue.

There is great division amongst the public librarians' staff and the management. Often a "community activist" board is in charge of public libraries. Very often I have read anecdote after anecdote on the poor and especially the homeless poor being viewed as "others" by a small group who make a lot of noise to the local city/county via the library boards about this "problem."
I can't say by experience how much veracity there is in their arguments at restriction in public libraries, as I am an academic librarian and my "clients" are my students and their faculty.
The aim is not really to keep homeless kids not checking out media, it is to keep the homeless OUT, period! People will argue about the homeless being unwashed and frequently disruptive, but the most noisy and stinky group of all, infants and very young children are the ones most catered towards by public libraries!
All sorts of restrictions from size restrictions of carry-in packages to permanent addresses are used.
Recently an Episcopal monk who lives at the homeless shelter he serves was admitted to full library privledges while someone who lives with him was denied at the exact same time, the exact same address being presented. This was in Chattanooga, and a "compromise" was the result with patrons without a permanent address given a "visitors' pass" for usage without circulation priveledges.
There have been a great number of lawsuits over this classist restriction. Most patrons who oppose homeless access argue that "they steal" and "they stink" and "their bags get in my way" and "they mumble and stare".
Many public librarians are fed up with people using "their" toilet facilities to bathe and of the "pall" cast upon the exalted glory of the library.
All of this is classist when reduced to the bare bones.
Were services such as an actual safe place to bathe, rest, wash clothes and take meds and have food, then there would be no "problem." The problem is the lack of social services where libraries take the place of de facto daytime shelters.
Indeed, there are two classes of homeless in this country: the deserving and the undeserving. The deserving are those in battered womens shelters and their children. Their addresses are normal street addresses. Noone knows they are technically "homeless." The others are the bulk: throw away kids (especially queer youth), alcoholics and drug addicts and the mentally ill.
As a proud librarian, my profession is about the transmission of information, not as a social worker and certainly not to decide who is worthy to pass thru my doors. They aren't my doors anyhow, they are the public's doors.
This battle is real. It splits practicioners into groups and practioners against management. The ones left in the lurch are the homeless.
Not good enough for my libarary, eh? So you steal material, eh? Well, you ought to see what upper middle class students smell like and how they act and what they steal sometimes. I'd take the homeless anyday over a gaggle of frat boys any day.

[WindRavenX]

29. you've nailed it

The aim is not really to keep homeless kids not checking out media, it is to keep the homeless OUT, period!

Bingo :(

[AngryOldDem]

26. It most certainly IS discrimination

"We want the homeless self-sufficient. But whenever they get one leg up, we'll knock 'em right back down again."

I HATE THIS MINDSET. It happens more than anyone here probably realizes, on SO many fronts.

[Rex]

27. 460 billion to the military, but not enough funds to keep books

in ready supply. Lord knows we can't have transients educating themselves! What's next? Dogs & cats living together in carnal sin? :eyes:

[baldguy]

28. .

[EFerrari]

36. Most of these people aren't transients. They're families who

have lost their homes and have nowhere to trans to.

[faithnotgreed]

30. kicking & recommending

[EFerrari]

35. Kick

[Hekate]

38. Laura Bush was a school librarian. Wonder if she'd intervene if...

... the homeless children wrote to her.

:shrug: It's a thought.

There are quite a lot of creative ideas and heartfelt testimonials to libraries in this thread. Kids without number have found shelter, solace, and finally wings at their local free public libraries.

Hekate

[coffeenap]

40. They are talking about $4000 worth of materials over 4 to 5 years.

I used to have a house in Porter County. Part of the county is poor, but some of it is very wealthy. There are million dollar second homes in the beach communities on Lake Michigan (it looks like Cape Cod there) and other parts of the county have become extensions of the Chicago metro area with mcmansions. Surely, they could find the $4000 somewhere! (I will try to find a contact in the govt there--will let you know if I have any success,)