Public Library and the Homeless: Part 2

I love to read.  Now that I have more time I am reading what I enjoy, that is, murder novels.  I have read all of David Baldacci’s novels except his last two releases, Memory Man and The Keeper, published in later 2014 and 2015.  I have also read all of Dan Brown’s and Tony Hillerman’s novels.  I am now finishing up reading all of James Patterson’s novels except for the Maximum Ride series which are not murder novels, but rather novels for children and younger adults.  I have read two books in this series, and I am not fond of them. 

Several months ago, I wrote about my love for reading murder mystery novels.  As a part of that story, I told about obtaining a public library card at my local municipal library.  The library card was free and so is the access to their vast array of books.  It beats spending $7.99 to $29.99 per novel for paperbacks or hardbacks.

Libraries are cool!  Having worked in universities all of my live, I am accustomed to large academic libraries with an amazing collection of books, magazines and journals.  And I have used university libraries all of my life.  They are amazing places. One can find any and every book or periodical you can imagine.  And if they don’t have it they have an inter-library loan system and can get you anything within a short period of time. 
   
As part of my story I told you about when I entered the main entrance of the library, the first thing I noticed was a security guard right at the door. I thought nothing of it since I assumed that libraries, like any other businesses, have their share of theft and other problems that would require security.  After obtaining a library card I was very excited about checking out my first book. 

I also mentioned that it was my first library card since probably my college days in the 1990’s when I studied for my doctorate.  What I failed to mention was it was actually my very first public library card.  I had never had a public library card.  Since I had gone to college right out of high school, I always had access to an academic library.  And since I made a career of working in universities I had access to an academic library. So there was never a need to acquire access to a public municipal library.

As I recounted in my first story, I immediately went to the electronic card catalog to search for James Patterson novels.  As I walked across the library, I was surprised to see the large number of what seemed to be homeless people.  As I previously indicated, I expected to see your average Americans; students, mothers with their children, and people like me checking out books and using the other free library services.  I also saw a large number of people, some of them homeless, using the public computers.  Where else but in public libraries do you have free access to computers and the Internet. 

In my first story, I described how I was surprised emotionally to see some many homeless people in the public library.  However, having spent almost all of my entire career in public higher education, intellectually I should not have been surprised about the homeless using the library.  I was used to seeing lots of homelessness in universities, especially in urban areas where there are plenty of homeless people and a number of public universities.  It was not unusual to see a homeless person in the bathroom of the student union getting cleaned up. It was not unusual to see homeless people in the university library especially in the winter.  I was also used to seeing homeless people panhandling on a campus as students tend to be idealistic and generous.

I related how surprised I was to see so many homeless people in the public library.  I can’t believe that I was being such an intellectual snob.  But I was more surprised at my initial instinct of not wanting to return to that library.  How could I be such an intellectual snob given my humble beginnings?  I had to adjust my view of what is the typical clientele of a public municipal library.  And I did as I tossed out my intellectual snobbishness. 

I also stated that on that same day, I was going to one of the local branches of the same public library.  As I entered the branch public library, much to my surprise, I saw very few homeless people at this branch. Most of the people in this branch of the public library were children and their mothers and regular working class people.  I also saw and still see many older adults, the white hair generation, since I continue to frequent this particular branch of the public library.

I don’t want to you leave you with the perception that I have a bias toward the homeless.  I want to be clear, I am not prejudiced against homeless people.  I frequent this particular branch public library not because of the small number of homeless, but because it is closer to where I live and the branch public library can get for me any book at any of the other main or branch libraries within two days.  This way I don’t have to drive all over town to get my James Patterson-murder-mystery-novel fix. 

Libraries are cool, they are amazing places.  They even welcome the homeless.  But I am still waiting for some billionaire, perhaps Warren Buffett or Bill Gates, to give a billion dollars to solve our homeless problem.   However, to be honest with you, I am not holding my breath.

Public Library and the Homeless

I love to read.  But until recently, most of what I read was work related materials; letters, reports; memoranda, research papers, dissertations, etc. and not pleasure reading. I especially like to read murder mystery novels. I like to pick one author and read all of his or her books.  I have read all of David Baldacci’s novels.  If you haven’t read Baldacci, it’s a must read.  His novels are hard to put down. I have also read all of Dan Brown’s and Tony Hillerman’s novels.

Now that I have more time, I am pouring over James Patterson’s novels.  I have read all of this Detective Alex Cross books, except his latest book just published Hope to Die.  I have read nearly all of his books about Private, novels about a private investigative firm and NYPD Red, novels about an elite New York Police unit.  I have also read nearly all of the I, Michael Bennett books.  I am now reading through his novels about the Women’s Murder Club, there are thirteen in total and I am on number 9,  9th Judgement.  Patterson Women’s Murder Club series starts with 1st to Die and, at last count, Unlucky 13.  However, number 14, 14th Deadly Sin, is scheduled to be released in May of this year. 

You are probably wondering why I am writing about my interest in reading murder mystery novels.  Recently, I decided to acquire a public library card at my local municipal library instead of continuing to pay $7.99 per novel, if you can find them on sale, to as much as $29.99 for hardbacks, which I never buy.  It is free and it allows me access to all of the Patterson murder mystery novels and other books that I want to read. 

When I entered the main entrance of the library, the first thing I noticed was a security guard right at the door. I thought nothing of it since I presume that libraries, like any other businesses have their share of theft and other problems that would require security.  After completing a simple application for a library card and providing proof, a driver’s license, of who I am and that I actually reside in the municipality where the library was located, I was given a library card. 

It is my first library card since who knows when, probably my college days in the 1990’s when I studied for my doctorate.  I immediately went to the electronic card catalog to search for James Patterson novels.  As I walked across the library, I was surprised to see the large number of what seemed to be homeless people in the library.  I guess I expected to see your average Americans; students, mothers with their children, and people like me checking out books and using the other free library services. As I think about it now, I should not be surprised about the homeless people in the library as I presume they like to read too. 

And having spent almost my entire career in public higher education, I also should not be surprised about the homeless being in the library.  I am used to seeing lots of homelessness in universities, especially in urban areas where there are plenty of homeless people and a number of public universities.  It is not unusual to see a homeless person in the bathroom of the student union getting cleaned up. It’s not unusual to see homeless people in the university library especially in the winter.  Libraries, after all, are nice, warm places where you don’t get asked to leave unless you are causing trouble. It’s not unusual to see the homeless people panhandling on a campus as students tend to be idealistic and generous, and thus tend to give money more readily to a homeless person.

I have always been surprised by college students’ generosity toward the homeless since many college students are typically on a pretty tight budget and can ill afford to give away money to a homeless.  But, I assume since college students tend to be young, idealistic, and altruistic, they tend to be generous. 

Homelessness is a major problem in our country.  What really makes me sad to see is homeless children and their parents.  It is too bad I can’t wave a magic wand and solve the problem. Or better yet, why can’t some billionaire, perhaps Bill Gates, give a billion dollars to solve our homeless problem.

So again, I should not be surprised to see homeless people in the public municipal library, but to be honest, I was very surprised.  So much so that my initial instinct was to not return to that library.  I have to adjust my view of what is the typical clientele of a public municipal library. By the way, I have returned to that public municipal library again, in fact many times.  Today, I will actually go to one of the branches of this public municipal library as the Patterson book I am looking for is not at the library I frequent, which by the way, is the main library.  Consequently, this time I will not be surprised if I see homeless people at the branch of municipal library.