An investigation into Yorkshire public library outreach projects
aimed at homeless people
2. A justification
Social inclusion one of public libraries key roles?
Why homeless people?
What can libraries offer to homeless people?
3.
"Customers are not all equal in their life experiences and
chances; so we should not treat all of our customers equally, but
in a way that meets their individual needs"
Pateman, 2005: 1
4. A justification
Social inclusion one of public libraries key roles?
Why homeless people?
What can libraries offer to homeless people?
5. The aim
To create a set of recommendations for outreach aimed at
homeless people
By discovering what outreach is already happening
By finding the barriers, problems, solutions and tips
6. Methodology (I)
Thematic analysis of four case studies of previous relevant
projects
Aim to discover common themes (tips, advice, problems,
barriers, etc.)
Several limitations
7. Case studies used
Friends at Christmas, Sally Middleton, 2003
Your choice books, Wendy Molyneux, 2004
The play and learning project, Tameside, 2006
Outside story, Fiona Heffernan, 2009
8. Methodology (II)
Six face-to-face semi-structured interviews
Librarians
South and West Yorkshire
Role includes inclusion/outreach
Transcribed and analysed thematically
9. Results (I)
When planning the outreach:
Make objectives both abstract and measurable
Consider specific needs
Consult, in a variety of ways
During the outreach:
Join partnerships
Organised implementation strategy for large scale projects
Gain trust and offer incentives
Potential problems:
negative staff attitudes; negative self-perceptions; funding;
ID requirements
Solutions?:
Staff training; development of trust; development of
sustainability; removal of ID requirements
10. Results (I)
When evaluating the outreach:
Combine quantitative and qualitative measurements
Consider stakeholder targets, etc.
Do so formally
Consider improvements and adaptions
11. Results (II)
Share ideas and success
Trial large projects
Potential barriers:
Low participation
Limited resources
The risk of losing stock
The heterogeneity of homelessness
Solutions?:
Use partnership
Remove or reduce the ID barriers
12. Conclusions and recommendations
Develop partnerships
Remove ID requirements
Share ideas, reports and good practice
Develop sustainable outreach through low cost projects
Book deposits
Mobile library stops
13. Conclusions and recommendations
Train staff
Build up trust through dependability and regularity
Adapt to particular needs through:
Trialing, evaluating, refining
Combine evaluative techniques
14. References
Crisis. (2002). Critical Condition : Homeless People's Access
to GPs [Online]. London: Crisis.
http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/GP_policybrief%5B1%5D.pdf
[Accessed 28 June 2010].
Crisis and the New Policy Institute. (2003). How Many and How
Much: Single Homelessness and the Question Of Numbers and Cost
[Online]. London: Crisis.
http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/policy_research/howmanyhowmuch_full.pdf
[Accessed 13 May 2010].
Heffernan, F. (2009). "Outside Story: welcoming the homeless".
Public Library Journal , 24 (3), 6-7.
15. References
Middleton, S. (2003). "Friends at Christmas?". Public Library
Journal , 18 (1), 5-6.
Molyneux, W. (2004). "Your choice books". Library and
Information Research News , 28 (90), 15-23.
Outside Story project. (2009). Outside Story [Online]. London:
Outside Story project. http://www.outsidestory.org.uk [Accessed 07
July 2010].
St Mungo's. (2005). SOS: Sick of Suffering Briefing [Online].
London: St Mungo's.
http://www.mungos.org/campaigns/sos_-_sick_suffering [Accessed 02
July 2010].
16. References
Pateman, J. (2005). Tackling Exclusion in Libraries: Keynote
Address at the Vancouver Public Library Staff Conference, May 12
2005 [Online]. http://www.librarianactivist.org/socexclusion.pdf
[Accessed 03 May 2010].
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. (2006). Getting Closer
to Homeless Families Through the Play And Learning Project: Case
Study [Online]. Tameside: Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.
http://www.tameside.gov.uk/beacon/community/casestudies/homeless
[Accessed 21 June 2010].
