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The librarian's guide to homelessness : an empathy-driven approach to solving problems, preventing conflict, and serving everyone / Ryan Dowd.

By: Material type: TextTextLanguage: English Publisher: Chicago : ALA Editions, 2018Copyright date: ©2018Description: xv, 248 pages : illustrations ; 26 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 0838916260 (paperback)
  • 9780838916261 (paperback)
Subject(s):
Contents:
Part 1. Homelessness and empathy. Top ten homeless myths -- Homeless people are (not) just like you -- Empathy: the psychological, neurological, and social bases for it -- Part 2. Empathy-driven enforcement. Empathy vs. punishment -- Step 1: Your head tools -- Step 2: Your body tools -- Step 3: Your word tools -- Advanced tools -- Part 3. Special situations. Everyday predicaments -- Mental illness -- Substance abuse -- Hygiene -- Sleeping -- Possessions -- Children -- Part 4. Beyond problem-solving. Advice for managers and leaders -- How best to help homeless patrons -- Conclusion: The end of homelessness.
Summary: "Homelessness is a perennial topic of concern at libraries. In fact, staff at public libraries interact with almost as many homeless individuals as staff at shelters do. In this book Dowd, executive director of a homeless shelter, spotlights best practices drawn from his own shelter's policies and training materials"-- Provided by publisher.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Dr. James Carlson Library NonFiction 025.5086 D745 Available 33111008539369
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 025.5086 D745 Available 33111008699437
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Homelessness is a perennial topic of concern at libraries. In fact, staff at public libraries interact with almost as many homeless individuals as staff at shelters do. Empathy and understanding, along with specific actionable advice that's drawn from experience, makes all the difference in working with this group. In this book Dowd, executive director of a homeless shelter, spotlights best practices drawn from his own shelter's policies and training materials. Filled with to-the-point guidance that will help frontline public library staff and managers understand and serve this population better, this resource

includes facts about homelessness every librarian should know; debunks widespread myths about these individuals, explaining how they see themselves, what issues they struggle with, and how libraries can shift towards supporting them; shares de-escalation techniques like showing respect, ways to avoid making things personal, and using proper body language; walks readers through dealing with common issues like a sleeping patron, questionable hygiene, offensive behavior, and asking a patron to leave; and advises on how to provide backup to a colleague and when to call the police.

Filled with real life stories that illustrate the effectiveness of Dowd's approach, this one-of-a-kind guide will empower library staff to treat homeless individuals with dignity.

Text in English.

"Homelessness is a perennial topic of concern at libraries. In fact, staff at public libraries interact with almost as many homeless individuals as staff at shelters do. In this book Dowd, executive director of a homeless shelter, spotlights best practices drawn from his own shelter's policies and training materials"-- Provided by publisher.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part 1. Homelessness and empathy. Top ten homeless myths -- Homeless people are (not) just like you -- Empathy: the psychological, neurological, and social bases for it -- Part 2. Empathy-driven enforcement. Empathy vs. punishment -- Step 1: Your head tools -- Step 2: Your body tools -- Step 3: Your word tools -- Advanced tools -- Part 3. Special situations. Everyday predicaments -- Mental illness -- Substance abuse -- Hygiene -- Sleeping -- Possessions -- Children -- Part 4. Beyond problem-solving. Advice for managers and leaders -- How best to help homeless patrons -- Conclusion: The end of homelessness.

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