1. What would Mother Teresa do?
- Author
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Anderson, A. J.
- Subjects
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LIBRARY administration , *MANAGEMENT , *SOCIAL problems , *LIBRARY users , *PUBLIC libraries , *LIBRARY administrators - Abstract
Presents a case study analyzing the actions that the Alexandra branch of Shelton Public Library regarding the drunks, addicts and homeless people that harass patrons and occupy most of the seats. Now is not the time to debate about philosophy. It is the time for action. From the looks of things in the library, the director has ignored a serious image, morale, and social problem until media attention has forced it out of his hands and into the hands of the local politicians. It is hard to believe that Shelton has had no problem patrons before this. There is no policy established to help it deal with this situation. To top things off, the mayor has barged in unannounced to the branch managers' meeting. He is smarter than the director, and wants to know ahead of time what the director is going to say to the council. At this point, there is not much that the director can say. The plight of the Shelton homeless must surely sound familiar. All that is needed is that the Shelton librarians be given enough time to work this problem through, matched by a willingness on the part of the community to chip in for the greater good. Homelessness, mental instability, and other attenuating ills have been and always will be a community problem. The librarians must reach out and communicate their frustration, and demand that they be heard.
- Published
- 1990