My husband was much disturbed to find me weeping over the local news on Thursday night. I had just watched the city's Director of Libraries, Herb Canales, suggest that the downtown central library branch be closed and offices moved to another library to cut costs. He said that families did not use the library much because they were scared of the homeless people who use it and that he didn't blame them.
Herb, I don't think I like you anymore.
First of all, homeless people are families, too. Libraries are for everyone, not just for people with homes. Secondly, the families in the neighborhoods near the library, neighborhoods like Hillcrest and Saxet Heights, do use the library. I see them there plenty when I go there (which I do pretty regularly in addition to my weekly trips to the library in my own neighborhood because the central library rocks) and they are not afraid of homeless people. Many of the residents of the neighborhood have been acquainted with real danger, like poverty, racism and the refineries along their fence lines - the homeless people just want to read and rest and use the running water - that is not dangerous. Also, Bethune Day Nursery brings their kids over for story time. Every story time I've ever been to at the central library has been packed, actually. Packed.
I guess none of those families matter to Mr. Canales. Because many of them don't have cars and won't be able to make it to Neyland. Without La Retama, they will probably never see the inside of a public library. The library and the schools are havens of safety and learning in that part of town. No one needs a library more than the people who use La Retama. Please don't take it away.
2 comments:
Time for more letter-writing.
I wonder if there are specific behaviors that are allegedly causing fear, or if it's a general. I know that in a former library branch I worked, drug use was a big problem, and in our renovated downtown branch, the walls are painted colors specifically intended to be unpleasant while high. (I wonder how that works in reality.)
I've never witnessed any bad behavior, though I am sure there is some as in any public venue. People seem mostly to complain about sponge baths in the bathroom - which I think is petty. I am happy that there are public buildings where people can use the running water.
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