“LGBTQ youth make up only 5 to 7 percent of the general youth population, yet up to 40 percent of the population of youth experiencing homelessness (Shelton and Winkelstein, 20).” Can you believe that? I read that statistic and my head exploded. Shelton and Winkelstein’s article, “Librarians and Social Workers: Working Together for Homeless LGBTQ Youth” recently came out in the Fall 2014 issue of Young Adult Library Services. This article made it clear to me how difficult life is for teens who are LGBTQ and how libraries need to step up to serve this population better. Not only do these teens experience harassment, social stigma, and discrimination from their community, but they also find this type of rejection in their family life as well.
I was encouraged to read in the article that libraries are often a haven for these youth. Libraries provide a “place where they could blend in, be out of the disapproving public eye, and at the same time gain access to much-needed information about housing, education, employment, meals, and medical and social services (Shelton and Winkelstein, 21).” Shelton and Winkelstein describe these youth as unlikely to engage staff or participate in programs because they do not want to draw attention to themselves.
As I spend more time working in public libraries, I am increasingly alarmed at how not for the public they really are. I have noticed the tendency of policies and procedures to be put in place to directly prevent “unsavory” people from using the library. This is incredibly unfortunate since many of these people are the exact people that need our services the most. Society dictates to libraries who is acceptable in the library and libraries dutifully gear their programming and resources towards meeting the needs of middle class suburban families with children. Shelton and Winkelstein address this in their article where they state, “These rules [i.e. no sleeping, eating, requiring permanent address for library cards, rules of size of baggage] are designed to create a particular atmosphere at the library-an atmosphere that is welcoming to those who can arrive showered, rested, well fed, and interested in the library as only a resource.”
I wonder how well we are serving our public when we only are willing to serve a certain type of public. How is this helping the homeless in our neighborhood, the LGBTQ teens who need a safe place to stay? “We’re not offered the same services as someone who comes in dressed nicely and smells good. (Shelton and Winkelstein, 21).” Alarming how true this statement can be.
Curb Service 