Homelessness and Poverty

Resources

• Food Security Resources (NYPL)

• Guidelines for Library Services to People Experiencing Homelessness (IFLA)

• Homeless Hub: Library of resources on homelessness in Canada

• Housing and Tenants Rights Resources (NYPL)

• Hunger, Homelessness, and Poverty Task Force (ALA Social Responsibilities Roundtable)

• Libraries Respond: Services to Poor and Homeless People (ALA)

• Mental Health Resources for Libraries (OCLC WebJunction)

• Public Libraries and the Opioid Crisis (OCLC and PLA)

• Resources for Helping Unhoused Patrons (OCLC WebJunction)

• Resources for Public Libraries Serving Persons Experiencing Homelessness (PLA)

• Ryan J. Dowd. The Librarian's Guide to Homelessness: An Empathy-Driven Approach to Solving Problems, Preventing Conflict, and Serving Everyone. ALA Editions, 2018.

Articles

• Lisa Bubert. "Safety Net." Longreads, 27 February 2025.

• EveryLibrary. "Five Ways Libraries Provide Aid to the Homeless." Medium, 11 August 2023.

• Jean Kuo Lee. "How Libraries are Helping the Unhoused." BookRiot, 17 November 2021.

• Morgan Rondinelli. "What's Missing in Conversations about Libraries and Mental Illness." In the Library with the Lead Pipe, 19 June 2024.

• MacKenzie Ryan. "Why US Libraries are on the frontlines of the homelessness crisis." The Guardian, 24 January, 2023.