We could all expound on our pets gripes on one side or the other of this, but it seems like a non-issue to me -- the library is restricting circulation among "the homeless," not eliminating it, and there are lots of arrangements the shelters and library could make:
VALPARAISO, Ind. -- Homeless children will not be allowed to check out material from a northwestern Indiana library system, which also has limited adults living in shelters to taking out three books at a time.
Porter County Public Library officials say they established the new policy May 10 after losing more than $4,000 worth of books and audiovisual materials over four to five years because of temporary shelter residents who failed to return them.
I link to it because, like a lot of news stories, it leaves out something critical. The loss the library is complaining about is $1,000 or less a year -- not much shrinkage. As a reader, before I judge this one subgroup, I'd like to know how much the library lost in materials to other, non-homeless patrons. That seems like an obvious question to have asked someone at the library.
Comments
Leo, excellent point. They probably did this to make it appear they are cracking down on losing material.