 Social Needs and the [city] Library The Library’s Role and How We Meet Our Responsibilities 10/23/2012

[city] citizens in need  Almost everyone faces life crises or knows someone who has. People needs jobs, homes, education, health care, and personal safety.  These crises can be sudden – losing your job at 57 or losing your eye sight at 77.  They can be chronic – needing a high school diploma or a way out of domestic violence.

Facing the realities  It can be hard to recognize the fact that many people facing crises can be helped.  The “we don’t have that problem here” or “they could fix this if they really wanted to” response is understandable.  These crises affect families, friends, co-workers, and employers. In many cases, community budgets strain to meet the most basic needs caused by these crises.

We may not see the people who most need community help  Some domestic violence survivors may be too afraid to ask for help  Some of the homeless sleep in shelters and those we see on our way to work couldn’t find a bed  Some of the unemployed wait in long lines for support services and we don’t see them inside those buildings  Some seniors who choose each month between electricity and medicine may be ashamed to ask for help

Children need nutritious food at school and at home.

Veterans need good civilian jobs

Women need personal safety

Unskilled workers need subsistence level full- time work

The recently and chronically homeless need housing

Teens need training in budgeting and other basic life skills

Everyone needs training in internet safety and security

Seniors need internet training to find useful health and retirement information

Immigrants need help on test preparation for their citizenship exams

Various people need literacy help

{city} helps everyone We have government programs such as WIC and unemployment We have volunteers providing food banks and housing As a community we respect and support our neighbors in need.

So how can the [city] library help?  We can help people find the right community resources  We can teach and provide resources for community volunteer teachers  We can work on literacy, basic software use, and internet safety training

We can involve the community  Police officers teaching personal safety  Bankers teaching financial safety and planning  School staff giving presentations on student support for parents  Community service directors giving talks on volunteer opportunities

We can raise awareness  Traveling exhibits on library and community resources to meet special needs  Put useful internet resources on the library web site, blog, and Facebook page  Work with service agencies to help them be more aware of what we can do for them

We need your support  Spread the word on our work – when we put up an exhibit on a social need, such as domestic violence, tell your friends about it  Advocate for us – make sure the organizations to which you and your friends belong know that the library is actively helping our community’s most vulnerable populations  Get involved – teach a workshop on literacy, citizenship, resume writing, budgeting for minimum wage workers

The [city] library is a vital community partner We look forward to working with you!