Libraries and Homelessness: An Action Guide, Paperback/Julie Ann Winkelstein

Taking a holistic approach that will help you to better understand the experience of homelessness within the context of your library community, this book offers new strategies and tools for addressing the challenge of meeting the needs of the entire community, including those who are unstably housed. With basic facts, statistics, and conversations about homelessness, the author makes a case for why libraries should provide support, explains exactly which needs they may be able (or unable) to meet, and shows how this support can be a natural part of the library services you already provide. Topics discussed include trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and mental and physical health challenges; brief stories and concrete examples illustrate the principles and guidelines discussed. Citing innovative services such as Dallas Public Library's coffee and conversation program and San Francisco Public Library's social worker program, the book offers both food for thought and tools for action as public librarians strive to understand and meet the needs of a population that has traditionally been stereotyped and excluded. Julie Ann Winkelstein , PhD, MLIS, is an activist, writer, and teacher who worked as a public librarian for 20 years. She teaches a library school course on homelessness, poverty, and libraries at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Book specifications: Dimensions: 234 x 155 Author: Julie Ann Winkelstein Cover type: Paperback Publishing Year: 2021 Publishing Month: 7 Pages: 267 Language: English Publisher: Libraries Unlimited Weight: 431 g