Homeless (rough sleepers) perspectives on public libraries: a case study

Date02 July 2018
Pages276-296
Published date02 July 2018
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-11-2017-0093
AuthorHao Zhang,Brenda Chawner
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information in society,Information literacy,Library & information services
Homeless (rough sleepers)
perspectives on public
libraries: a case study
Hao Zhang
Central City Library, Auckland Libraries, Auckland, New Zealand, and
Brenda Chawner
School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington,
Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract
Purpose Homelessness has been a growing problem in many countriessince the 1980s. The purpose of
this paper is to examine homelesspeoplesperspectives on public library services,and to compare these with
the attitudesof library staff.
Design/methodology/approach Eight interviews have been conducted with rough sleepers and
formerly homeless library patrons to examine their experiences, needs and expectations or the library. In
addition, four library staff have been interviewed about their attitudes to services for members of the
homelesscommunity.
Findings Most rough sleepers and formerly homeless patrons who participated in this research viewed
the public library as a safeplace because it offered a welcoming atmosphere, accessto a variety of resources
and services targeted at the homeless.Nonetheless, sleeping has always been a major reason for their use of
the library. Most staff members agreed that providingservices targeted toward rough sleepers changed the
dynamic between staff and the homelesspatrons, but there was some disagreement between staff members
about whethertargeted services were the most appropriate approach.
Practical implications Understanding homeless and rough sleepersexpectations for public library
services may be useful in revising policy and developing services for this community. In particular,
developing partnerships with organisations supporting the homeless is an effective way of developing
relevantservices for this often-marginalised group.
Originality/value Little researchhas considered public library services from the perspectiveof homeless
people. Thisresearch is intended to ll that gap.
Keywords Public libraries, New Zealand, Homeless, Case studies, Library staff, Rough sleepers
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
People living in large cities have become accustomed to seeing rough sleepers and people
who are homeless in the central business district (CBD). Library services to people who are
homeless have been a recurring theme in professional literature since the 1980s. This is
generally based on the beliefthat public library services should be available to all members
of the librarys community, regardless of their race, nationality, age, gender, religion,
First, the authors would like to thank the rough sleepers and former homeless patrons for their time
and the personal stories they shared for this research. This project would not have been possible
without their participation. The authors also want to thank staat Auckland Central City Library for
their help and contributions to this research project.
GKMC
67,4/5
276
Received12 November 2017
Revised18 December 2017
Accepted23 February 2018
GlobalKnowledge, Memory and
Communication
Vol.67 No. 4/5, 2018
pp. 276-296
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-11-2017-0093
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2514-9342.htm
language, disability, economic and employment status and educational attainment(IFLA,
2001, p. 1).
One of the rst papers written on the topic of servicesto people who are homeless was by
Simmons (1985), who noted that library customers who are homeless are traditionally
viewed as problem patrons, ratherthan as people who deserve access to services from their
public library. Simmons (1985, p. 117) suggested that to move discussions forward, [a]n
attempt should be made to understandthe issue from the homeless patrons point of view, to
understand the nature of the homelessand their needs.
Although many studieshave focused on initiatives that provide public library servicesto
homeless people in different parts of the world, little research has been done that presents
homeless peoples point of view. Thisresearch is intended to ll that gap by reporting on a
case study of rough sleeping and formerly homeless peoples perspectives on public
librariesservices,based on interviews with homeless patrons whouse the Auckland Central
City Library. The goal was to identify rough sleepersopinions and needs from a customer
perspective to help library staff understandthe reality of rough sleeping, and what services
the library can offer to people who are homeless.Gathering staff membersvoices was also a
key component of the research, to gain an additional perspective on the issues associated
with providing servicesto this marginalised group.
The following denitionswere used in this research:
Homeless:having nowhere to liveHomelessness in New Zealand is ofcially
dened as having no options to acquire safe and secure housing(Bellamy, 2014).
Rough sleepers:a homeless person who sleeps rough.Auckland City Mission
(2016a) noted that the most visible homeless people in New Zealand are rough
sleepers. In 2016, the number of Central Auckland rough sleepers was over 200 for
the rst time since the count started in 2004 (Auckland City Mission, 2016b).
Public library:an organization established, supported and funded by the
community, either through local, regional or national government [...] It provides
access to knowledge, information and works of the imagination through a range of
resources and services and is equally available to all members of the community
(IFLA, 2001, p. 1).
Literature review
Since Simmons (1985) rst raised the issue of providing library services to people who are
homeless, this topic has regularly featured in professional publications. The following
section reviews this literature under three broad themes: the homeless and their needs,
library policy affectingthe homeless and public library services to the homeless.
The homeless and their needs
Homelessness has been recognized as a social problem around the world since the early
1980s (Kelleher, 2013). People become homeless for a range of reasons, such as nancial
hardship, job loss, eviction, family break up and escaping domestic violence (ALIA, 2016).
Homeless people may rely on shelters for their accommodation, or they may live on the
streets or in cars. This type of precarious living is challenging, meaning that homeless
people must overcome a range of obstacles to survive. Although nding food and shelter/
accommodation are typically their major concerns, Muggleton and Ruthvens (2012)
interviewed 18 homeless individualsin Glasgow and identied social isolation and a lack of
privacy in hostels as other common problems.
Public libraries
277

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