Self-Reported Psychosocial Needs of Public Library Patrons: Comparisons Based on Housing Status

ABSTRACT

Public libraries are frequented by patrons experiencing unmet psychosocial needs. At times, the needs exceed staff training, resulting in some libraries turning to social workers. This study is the first to present a comprehensive needs assessment of self-reported patron psychosocial needs from a large U.S. urban library system and examine the specific needs of housed versus unhoused participants. Patrons had many psychosocial needs overall, and unhoused patrons had a greater frequency of basic needs. No relationship was found between housing status and social needs. The results support library programming and services that are inclusive of both housed and unhoused patrons.

KEYWORDS:

• Public libraries
• psychosocial needs
• homelessness
• needs assessment

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mary A. Provence

Mary A. Provence has enjoyed a long career in social work, primarily focused in her urban neighborhood where she has loved, lived, and learned for over 20 years. She is a PhD Candidate and Adjunct Professor at the Indiana University School of Social Work. Her research is focused on the role of the public library social worker as it relates to homelessness.

Elizabeth A. Wahler

Elizabeth A. Wahler received a B.S. in psychology from the University of Evansville and her M.S.W. and Ph.D. in social work from the University of Kentucky. She is currently the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and has been on the faculty in the School of Social Work since 2012. Dr. Wahler’s main research interests involve social work education, the impact of poverty and other factors associated with social disadvantage on the development and perpetuation of mental health and substance abuse problems, and interventions for improving the health and wellbeing of people living in poverty. Prior to earning her PhD, Dr. Wahler previously worked as both a practitioner and supervisor for over 14 years. Her practice experience was primarily with individuals living in poverty attempting to overcome substance use disorders, mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or intimate partner violence victimization. Interventions studied include Getting Ahead and public library-based social work.

John Helling

John Helling is a public library administrator with more than ten years of experience in urban, suburban, and rural public libraries. He is a Fulbright scholar and author of Public Libraries and Their National Policies: International Case Studies. He is currently the Director of Public Services for the Indianapolis Public Library, where he oversees the operations of all branches, outreach, and programming.

Michael A. Williams

Michael A. Williams has served at the Indianapolis Public Library for 38 years and is the Area Resource Manager for Central Library. He is the recipient the Indiana Library Federation Leadership Award and the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Staff Association Distinguished Service Award.