Reilly Waters

SOIS, Dominican University

Dr. Fallon

November 3, 2022

Public libraries are a vital destination for patrons experiencing homelessness to access

information, services, and support. Specifically, “Libraries have been innovating responses to

homelessness for years, including outreach to homeless shelters, providing referral information,

and sharing space with community partner” (Provence, 2020, p. 432). Being an institution that is

open to the public, public libraries have the potential to humanize patrons experiencing

homelessness. Further, “People experiencing homelessness often spend a large portion of their

day in temperature-controlled public libraries with computer, internet, and bathroom access”

(Provence, 2020 p. 431). There are a variety of ways to support patrons experiencing

homelessness. With the inclusion of a public library social worker on staff, the library can

effectively serve patrons. Provence’s case study observes the impact of public library social

workers in regard to patrons experiencing homelessness through utilizing the humanization

framework by Todres et al. (2009). The results of the case study suggest that library

programming, staff training, and rethinking the library code of conduct can successfully

foster humanization in public libraries.

It is important to provide background about the author. Provence is a PhD candidate,

adjunct professor at Indiana University, licensed clinical social worker with over 25 years of

experience, and is currently providing virtual therapy for students. Provence writes, her work is

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focused on community development in a city setting and how the growing field of public library

social work can address homelessness (2020 p. 446). For this case, “This study sought to answer

two questions: What is the overall role of the public library social worker? What is the role of the

public library social worker specifically with patrons experiencing homelessness?” (Provence,

2020 p. 433). To answer these questions, Provence utilized the humanization framework

presented by Todres et al. Specifically, “Originally conceptualized for public health research and

practice by Les Todres, Kathleen T. Galvin, and Immy Holloway (2009) and used by Ann

Hemingway (2012) to challenge the public health field to see the people and communities they

serve as humans rather than objects, the humanization framework is composed of eight

dimensions” (Provence, 2020 p. 433). The eight dimensions of this framework utilize word pairs

to illustrate a form of humanization and a form of dehumanization. The eight dimensions are:

insiderness/objectification, agency/passivity, uniqueness/homogenization, togetherness/isolation,

sense-making/loss of meaning, personal journey/loss of personal journey, sense of place/

displacement, and embodiment/reductionist view of the body (Provence, 2020 p. 433-434). The

eighth dimension, embodiment/reductionist view of the body, is not applicable to non medical

practice, and therefore is not applicable to this case study.

Being that I live in Chicago, the systemic issue of homelessness is very prevalent and

pressing. Provence wrote, “Over the past decade, libraries have begun to recognize the value of

having social workers on staff to help vulnerable patrons, including those experiencing

homelessness” (2020 p. 432). Public library social workers create a unique opportunity to serve

patrons in way that other staff are not trained. Libraries prove to be a haven for patrons

experiencing homelessness, so social workers in libraries are crucial. Further, “Cities across the

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United States have increasingly created ordinances that effectively ban people experiencing

homelessness from many public spaces and are thereby pushing them into one of the last

remaining spaces they are allowed to go—the public library” (Provence, 2020 p. 431). Libraries

are specifically important to patrons experiencing homelessness and this case study sought to

further explore this evolving concept. Provence utilized interviews to gain information from the

participants. For context, “Interviews of five US public library social workers were conducted

using an open-ended 15-question interview guide that included questions about their broad role,

their role specific to patrons experiencing homelessness, their role related to other library staff,

their background and supervision, and a message to educators” (Provence, 2020 p. 435).

Provence presented thorough information about the participants: their average age was

38.6 years old and there were three female and two male participants (2020, p. 436). Further,

“All five participants had a master’s degree in social work” (Provence, 2020 p. 436). In regard to

the positions held by the participants, “Four participants were practicing in city libraries; one was

in a suburban library. Four reported working 40 hours a week, and one reported working 40 plus.

Four were employed by the library; one was employed by a public agency to work full-time in

the library. Three positions were included in the library budget. Two positions were grant funded

—one to the library and one to a public agency” (Provence, 2020 p. 436). The author also

discussed clinical supervision of the participants. Specifically, “Only one participant reported

having regular weekly clinical supervision. The other four reported they were not doing clinical

practice and were making efforts to get support” (Provence, 2020 p. 437). Provence also wrote,

“In this multiple case study, five full-time US public library social workers were surveyed and

interviewed to explore their broad role and their role specific to patrons experiencing

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homelessness. Although five might ordinarily be considered too few study participants, the

population of US public library social workers is small” (2020 p. 434). This supports the notion

that this is a growing field and further research is necessary. It is important to note that the case

study had some limitations. For example, “This study did not include any rural library social

workers and had only one from a suburban library. This study did not include the perspective of

patrons experiencing homelessness and library staff” (Provence, 2020 p. 443). Future research

should address different settings of public libraries and include the perspective of other library

staff members.

The main takeaways from this case study are that through library programming, staff

training, and revising of library code of conducts, libraries can successfully humanize patrons

experiencing homelessness. An important part of social work in public libraries is building trust

with vulnerable patrons, known as tools of engagement. Provence wrote, “Tools of engagement

are methods to establish trust so the worker can assess need, mutually establish goals, and

intervene” (2020 p. 438). Further, “The primary tool of engagement is relationships. As one

participant put it, “relationships come first.” Another described how being present in the library

full-time means they can build relationships over time, building trust with persons who have

been “burned by the social service system” (Provence, 2020 p. 438). In order for social work

services to be utilized, building relationships and trust is vital for the patrons experiencing

homelessness. One participant described a program that created an opportunity for relationship

building. Provence reported, “One participant described a coffee and doughnut program that

helped encourage humanizing interactions between staff and patrons experiencing homelessness

that had resulted in reducing staff fear of patrons experiencing homelessness and helped staff and

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patrons form meaningful relationships. Another described that attendance by patrons

experiencing homelessness at various cultural and holiday celebrations, book clubs, and films

shown at the library was nonstigmatizing, saying, “I think that it helps, or it allows them to

continue to feel like they’re connected”” (2020, p. 439). Through programming, patrons

experiencing homelessness are humanized and have the opportunity to do things like mingling

over coffee, celebrating a holiday, or watching a movie. Libraries are one of the last remaining

free, public spaces where patrons experiencing homelessness are welcomed and supported.

The participants of this case study emphasized the importance of staff training. For

example, “Most participants described how they spent significant time coaching individual staff

members to interact with struggling patrons. Some library staff sought consultation from the

social worker before or after a patron interaction to get input and advice. Participants described

being empathetic and understanding of library staff, realizing they might be scared, unsure,

stressed out, or even experiencing their own trauma responses” (Provence, 2020 p. 440). One-on-

one training can create preparedness in library staff to support patrons experiencing

homelessness. Specific topics that were included in such training were, “…de-escalation, autism,

assertive communication, cultural sensitivity, trauma, and self-care” (Provence, 2020 p. 440).

Equipping library staff to engage with vulnerable patrons is a large aspect of a public library

social worker’s job. An example of a training technique was role-playing. Further, “If someone is

upset or yelling or you know not doing very well, it can be very scary for someone who hasn’t

encountered that before and doesn’t know what to do about it. So just role modeling, like just

taking a deep breath staying grounded and saying, “Hey my name is _____, can I help you out

with something today? What’s going on? You seem upset,”” (Provence, 2020 p. 440). Preparing

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library staff through a variety of training sessions and topics can properly equip staff to

effectively support and humanize patrons experiencing homelessness.

Another theme from the interviews was discussion about the code of conduct in libraries.

Specifically, “Through coaching and training, social workers perceive they are changing the way

library codes of conduct are implemented, decreasing the chances that library staff or security

will summon police or kick patrons experiencing homelessness out for conduct violations…

Another participant told how their influence helped reduce the number of 911 calls made”

(Provence, 2020 p. 441). Within the training of library staff or security, implementation of the

code of conduct is being challenged in order to reduce removal from the library or a 911 call

being made. Provence wrote about the training, “Helping staff to understand mental health and

trauma and helping to navigate patron crises were ways that social workers perceived they were

decreasing patrons being expelled or being reported to police” (2020 p. 441). A main goal of

training is understanding the mental health and trauma struggles of patrons experiencing

homelessness. Being that public libraries are a destination that is open to the public,

unnecessarily removal of patrons experiencing homelessness seems counterintuitive. (I

acknowledge instances of necessary removal exist too.) Concluding the case study, “Participants

were asked what they would like library and social work educators to know. Most participants

emphasized collaboration, whether in libraries or in higher education. Two participants suggested

social work educators could help future librarians understand trauma” (Provence, 2020 p. 441).

Collaboration between librarians and social workers could make a huge difference in achieving

the goal of humanizing patrons.

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 The concluding results of this case study highlight the ways humanization can be

achieved—most notably being programming and training. Provence generalizes, “Based on this

analysis, an analytical generalization is proposed: Public libraries, as spaces free and open to the

public, are natural gathering places that draw persons experiencing homelessness without the

stigma of walking through a homeless agency door. However, that does not guarantee that they

will be accepted without judgement by library and security staff. Public library social workers

are helping equip library and security staff to move toward humanizing interactions with patrons

experiencing homelessness” (2020, p. 442-443). According to Provence, “Library social work is

an emerging area of practice that needs attention from academia” (2020, p. 443). It is evident that

social work in public libraries is an evolving field that requires further research. Overall, “This

study suggests that library social workers are equipping library staff to have increasingly

humanizing interactions with patrons experiencing homelessness. According to one participant,

the public library may well be one of the “last remaining social protections” in our country”

(Provence, 2020 p. 443-444). I really enjoyed analyzing this case study and think the author

effectively illustrated how the humanization of patrons experiencing homelessness can be

achieved through social work in public libraries.

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 References

Provence, M. A. (2020). Encouraging the humanization of patrons experiencing homelessness: A

case study of the role of the US Public Library Social Worker. The Library Quarterly,

90(4), 431–446. https://doi.org/10.1086/710258