[Publib] RE: Services

[Insley, Diane]

I had this exact situation - 

Since we saw him everyday, I asked the gentleman about getting a card
but he did not get mail, nor did he want to get mail to prove address
but he did want to get a card.  I was not comfortable with issuing a
card to every homeless person passing through, so I didn't want to
create a policy I couldn't live with.  I was confident that our town was
his home so I personally signed responsibility for his card using my
address and asked him to limit the number of checkouts to what he could
protect from the elements and carry easily - but there is not an
official limit on his card, it was just my request since I signed that I
would be responsible if he was not.  We do allow an adult to sign for a
card - either for a child or for an adult that is not able to come in or
not able to sign for a card.  

This was 8 years ago - only one problem when a book was removed from his
tent while he was right in the area - and he did pay for the book.  And
since he is here reading most days he really does not check out many
items, but he has checked out 310 items in 8 years.  

Diane Insley
Librarian
San Marcos (TX) Public Library



Message: 4
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 09:25:36 -0400
From: "Dan Swartout" <dswartout at edgecombelibrary.org>
Subject: [Publib] Services
To: <publib at webjunction.org>
Message-ID:
	
<E7D13878059F834F87EF483943B605CC9BEEF4 at SPARKY.braswell-library.org>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Dear Colleagues,

 We have a homeless person that uses our library nearly every single day
for warming, socializing somewhat and reading the newspaper. He has been
visible in Tarboro for over 12 years and eats at the shelter etc. In the
not too distant past, according to staff, he asked for a library card,
but could not meet our current criteria. I have been encouraged to see
if he might obtain an identification card and use general delivery or
the shelter as an address. Have any of you offered complete services to
the homeless in your area.

 As a future thought, we might limit the number of checkouts to  this
person. Thank you for any feedback since I've never encountered this
situation  before now.

Dan 

Daniel Swartout
Director
Edgecombe County Memorial Library