4 ms·

Libraries are daycare for the homeless. At one city's public library, one of the librarians was mopping up vomit and was heard to comment, "I didn't go to libra

Libraries are daycare for the homeless. At one city's public library, one of the librarians was mopping up vomit and was heard to comment, "I didn't go to library school for this." Washrooms double as a place to shower, reading rooms a place to sleep.

calvinmorrison 2mo ago
libraries are also just daycares for... kids. My library (which is on my block) is only open a few hours week in which gainfully employed adults would be able to go. The rest is geared to grannies and kids
- deleted 2mo ago
  [deleted]
- jimbokun 2mo ago
  That is a very good thing. Kids desperately need third spaces too.
- tartoran 2mo ago
  I think it's great for kids to grow up amongst books. As for the homeless, it's fine if they don't stink and use the library for what it is, a place to read books or possibly go online. Any other behavior should not be tolerated.
- tomjakubowski 2mo ago
  It grinds my gears a bit when "works 9-5 in an office" is equated with "gainfully employed". There are lots of working people who have free time during these hours: restaurant and retail workers, hospital nurses and doctors, firefighters and EMTs, artists and artisans, YouTubers and professional HN posters, actors and circus performers, authors and architects, homemakers and remote office workers, and so on.
  - calvinmorrison 2mo ago
    i am sorry that it bothers you
  - xp84 2mo ago
    > professional HN posters Wait, is this a career option I should have been aspiring to? I wonder if it's too late...
tomjakubowski 2mo ago
Somewhat to my surprise, given its proximity to skid row and downtown's general trend since Covid, in my experience the LA Central Library usually has few visibly homeless people inside. I work remotely and live nearby and walk there every now and then to work outside the home. Almost everyone I see hanging out in the study table areas seem to be students or remote workers. The few homeless people I have seen at the library keep to themselves and often are reading quietly like any other patron.
jdkee 2mo ago
It doesn't have to be that way. It is a policy choice in some communities.

calvinmorrison 2mo ago

libraries are also just daycares for... kids. My library (which is on my block) is only open a few hours week in which gainfully employed adults would be able to go. The rest is geared to grannies and kids

deleted 2mo ago
[deleted]
jimbokun 2mo ago
That is a very good thing. Kids desperately need third spaces too.
tartoran 2mo ago
I think it's great for kids to grow up amongst books. As for the homeless, it's fine if they don't stink and use the library for what it is, a place to read books or possibly go online. Any other behavior should not be tolerated.
tomjakubowski 2mo ago
It grinds my gears a bit when "works 9-5 in an office" is equated with "gainfully employed". There are lots of working people who have free time during these hours: restaurant and retail workers, hospital nurses and doctors, firefighters and EMTs, artists and artisans, YouTubers and professional HN posters, actors and circus performers, authors and architects, homemakers and remote office workers, and so on.
- calvinmorrison 2mo ago
  i am sorry that it bothers you
- xp84 2mo ago
  > professional HN posters Wait, is this a career option I should have been aspiring to? I wonder if it's too late...

tomjakubowski 2mo ago

Somewhat to my surprise, given its proximity to skid row and downtown's general trend since Covid, in my experience the LA Central Library usually has few visibly homeless people inside. I work remotely and live nearby and walk there every now and then to work outside the home. Almost everyone I see hanging out in the study table areas seem to be students or remote workers. The few homeless people I have seen at the library keep to themselves and often are reading quietly like any other patron.

jdkee 2mo ago

It doesn't have to be that way. It is a policy choice in some communities.