First, I must address the obvious conundrum: how can I effectively implement an action research project/experiment when my audience is constantly shifting and changing? A public library has a very diverse and varied patronage. Pack Library isn’t a classroom. The patrons of Pack don’t have to be present for attendance count every morning like students in a school do. The subject of the research project cannot really be a controlled, steady group of people. In thinking about my potential project idea, I see this as my first hurdle.
In the first two chapters of Stringer, the reader is encouraged to seek out a problem in their school (or for my purposes, the public library) and apply the action research method to help come to a better understanding of the problem and to hopefully improve the problematic situation. The entire time I was reading, I only had one problem in the back of my mind. Pack Memorial Library has a very high level of patronage from the homeless population of Asheville. The employees of Pack are constantly trying to figure out how best to deal with the homeless that frequent the library. Obviously, a huge concern is the fact that the library sometimes seems to transform into a homeless shelter instead of a public library. The employees at Pack want to see the entire cross-section of the Asheville population represented in its patronage. Unfortunately, this complicated and nuanced relationship between Pack Library and a portion of Asheville’s homeless population has led to some decisions that have been to the detriment of other library patrons. Several pieces of comfortable furniture have been removed to discourage loitering. Two outdoor benches were recently removed because fist fights were constantly breaking out among certain homeless people who frequent the library. Clearly, these measures are only addressing a symptom instead of a problem.
I would love to work with the homeless people that patronize the library for my project, but there is no consistent group of people to work with.
Eureka! I initiate an action research plan with the staff at the library instead of the patrons. This, in all reality, is probably the best first step anyway. The entire library staff needs to be on the same page with a common mission in order to evaluate what the situation is and what can really be done to improve it.
I do believe data from the homeless patronage can be gathered, studied, and transformed into some sort of positive change eventually. However, I think the most obvious initial approach in addressing the problem is with the employees of the library. This speaks to the necessity of a “systematic” inquiry. Starting from the inside and moving outward within the spiral of the problem seems to make the most sense.
The Pack Library homeless problem seems to be a good fit for the application of action research. I believe it is particularly fitting because it hasn’t really been observed and examined with a critical eye. The problem is a complicated one, therefore would greatly benefit from the “systematic execution of carefully articulated processes of inquiry” (Stringer, 2008: p.4).
Lyme Kedic
Comments (7)
Good idea, Lyme, and I see the difficulty in such an idea. I admire you for your desire to do something for these people. I have some questions for you.
1) Are they basically the same people that come? I would think that they are and, at this time of year, are just looking for temporary shelter and warmth.
2) How is their presence currently handled? Are they generally ignored unless they become problematic or are they asked to leave? I have seen APD and Security guards monitoring the area when I have visited Pack. I wonder if "shooing" them off is part of their responsibilities?
3) What kind of ideas to you have for them? Is the object to stop them from coming to the library for their temporary shelter or to engage them in some sort of activities?
~Sherry Fender
Posted by Anonymous | January 17, 2009 2:19 PM
Posted on January 17, 2009 14:19
Lyme,
I know that Pack Memorial has a large homeless population, and I know that it is discouraging to a certain point. You want to help these people, and encourage them to have a love of learning. At the same time the public library becomes a building that is simply a babysitter. You want the people of downtown Asheville to come and enjoy the library, but the truth is those people don’t want to come because the homeless situation makes the library unappealing to the rest of the patrons. Talking to the staff and asking questions is the logical place to start because of all the things you mentioned. You also might to look at bigger cities and see how they handle this problem. Once you read articles, you might call libraries and tell them what you are doing and see how they handle this situation. Good Luck!!
Posted by Elizabeth McMullan | January 18, 2009 1:24 PM
Posted on January 18, 2009 13:24
Lyme,
You and I have talked about this issue in the past, though I think it came out in how the Pack Library wasn't our favorite place to work because of exactly the things you've mentioned so far. The few times I've been in there, I don't feel comfortable, and not because of the homeless population that spends their time there but because of how the library has reacted to the issue. As you mentioned, they've removed the comfortable furniture. But beyond that, what's left is worn and damaged. Tables have writing and gashes and just FEEL dirty. They seem to have eliminated quiet nooks and crannies and because of that, if you're there to work, you're out in the middle of a large room. It seems to me that you're right... there has to be a better answer than to take away everything they think will encourage the homeless commmunity to spend their time there. I wonder if they've considered that if they stood their ground and made this a welcoming spot for the rest of the community, that the homeless population might at least step up their own behavior so that they're able to be there and that the rest of the community might be filling the seats that are now empty.
Back in my teaching days, there were always discussions about whether to group children by their ability or whether to mix it up. A common thought was that mixing it up allowed the children that might be performing at a lower level to strive for more and allowed the children performing at a higher level the chance to assist their peers that needed it. It was more about community. In essence, Pack is participating in ability grouping here, doing nothing to inspire the rest of the community and allowing the homeless community to use this more as a shelter than as a place for learning and experience. Who knows what would happen if they raised the bar overall and gave the entire community a chance to aspire to that level?
Posted by Kate Whyte | January 19, 2009 11:14 AM
Posted on January 19, 2009 11:14
An interesting and very challenging project, Lyme. I can sympathize with Pack's issues as, being a few doors down, we have have our own issues with the homless population at the bookstore. It's a conundrum- how can the library serve all parts of community without encroaching on the feelings or rights of various groups within it? And where exactly is the line between service and becoming just a shelter? I think you have targeted the correct group in the librarians, however, as the first step to worling towards a solution is to start thinking about a universal policy and ensure that everyone is working together. Some librarians are probably much better at handling the situation than others, and their experience will be invaluable.
I think that Stringer's idea of "phenomenology" will be of great use during the process. Getting in touch with a group's (the homeless) daily experiences is the only way to achieve a satisfactory outcome. It will also be applicable to the librarians, as their reactions, actions, and feelings are also going to merit consideration as you work within the library to craft a policy or set of guidelines.
I know you are focusing on the librarians, but do you, as of now, have any plans to work with the homeless and in what capacity would interacting with them fit into your research? I know that theyare , by and large, a transient population, but there are several characters present year-round. And, as Sherri mentioned, what has been done so far within your branch and in Buncombe County about the situation?
Posted by John Harrington | January 19, 2009 1:15 PM
Posted on January 19, 2009 13:15
An interesting and very challenging project, Lyme. I can sympathize with Pack's issues as, being a few doors down, we have have our own issues with the homless population at the bookstore. It's a conundrum- how can the library serve all parts of community without encroaching on the feelings or rights of various groups within it? And where exactly is the line between service and becoming just a shelter? I think you have targeted the correct group in the librarians, however, as the first step to worling towards a solution is to start thinking about a universal policy and ensure that everyone is working together. Some librarians are probably much better at handling the situation than others, and their experience will be invaluable.
I think that Stringer's idea of "phenomenology" will be of great use during the process. Getting in touch with a group's (the homeless) daily experiences is the only way to achieve a satisfactory outcome. It will also be applicable to the librarians, as their reactions, actions, and feelings are also going to merit consideration as you work within the library to craft a policy or set of guidelines.
I know you are focusing on the librarians, but do you, as of now, have any plans to work with the homeless and in what capacity would interacting with them fit into your research? I know that they are , by and large, a transient population, but there are several characters present year-round. And, as Sherri mentioned, what has been done so far within your branch and in Buncombe County about the situation?
Posted by John Harrington | January 19, 2009 1:15 PM
Posted on January 19, 2009 13:15
Wow. You've through this through beautifully, Lyme. There are so many angles to this issue, and incredibly complicated perspectives to sort out. Yes, it would be difficult to collect data with the homeless population, and because they are a vulnerable population, our university review board probably would not approve a proposal in time for you to get going on that angle. BUT your idea of beginning with the staff and being purposeful and systematic is excellent. Whatever the outcome becomes, the AR approach will give you some sort of solutions that you can implement and then continue the research process as ongoing inquiry with the patrons. It might be helpful, too, to identify other "city" libraries to see how they have handled these issues -- interview them for more data sources.
Keep thinking on this -- this is a great topic.
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