[Libs-Or] Problems for Corvallis-Benton County Library With youth at entrance--coming soon to a library near you?

[Bob Jones]

I have read the original posting, the linked article, and the responses to them.  I am wondering just what the folks at the Corvallis library and those of you who have responded perceive the mission of the library to be.  Is the library supposed to be a homeless shelter, a public park, a drug treatment center, or a branch of community corrections?  Does the library have an obligation to tolerate daylong use as a hangout by persons who are not availing themselves of actual library services?

Perhaps society owes these young people something.  Perhaps certain government agencies owe them something.  It seems to me all the library owes them is access to library materials and services.  Apparently the only attraction the library holds for them is free restrooms and proximity to other free public services in the neighborhood.

The young people need to grow up and take responsibility for their own lives instead of relying on soup kitchens for their meals, homeless shelters for a place to sleep, free clinics for health care, and the library grounds as a clubhouse.  I'm guessing they don't vote and they don't pay taxes.  The people who are being intimidated by them and who are therefore avoiding the library are the ones who voted to build it and fund its operation; they are the ones who are paying taxes to support it.  What's wrong with this picture?

If there are other agencies which have an obligation to provide social services to these young people, that's fine, but I fail to see why the public library needs to provide adult daycare for them to the detriment of people who need or want to use the library for legitimate library purposes.