Public libraries and difficulties with targeting the homeless

This paper aims to consider the potential for public library policies that specifically target “the homeless” to undermine their own objectives, and seeks to suggest alternative approaches to extend inclusion and ensure that all demographics are served equally.

The paper was written for a satellite meeting of the 78th IFLA Congress entitled “The Homeless and the Libraries – the Right to Information and Knowledge For All”. Drawing on previous research detailed in Muggleton, and Muggleton and Ruthven, the author presents a discursive perspective on the impact that assumptions about homelessness might have for policymaking.

Extant prejudices and the tendency to create a homeless “other” mean that policies specifically addressing the homeless have the potential to accentuate difference and patronise and alienate the intended beneficiaries of these policies. Moreover, political opposition to more inclusive, accommodating policymaking makes it important to reject assumptions and prejudices that weaken one's own position. Grounding policymaking in the empirical experience of homeless library users is argued to be the most effective way to extend inclusion, and also avoid false dichotomies and the perpetuation of prejudice.

Insights into unconscious assumptions gathered from previous research have been applied to the conceptualisation and implementation of public library policy. The arguments presented in the paper will hopefully be of use both for developing effective policies and for defending policies relating to homeless library users.