Library ends discriminatory lending policy : IMC Worcester

The Worcester Public Library Board of Directors voted and approved a new library lending policy at today's meeting, Sept. 12th, 2006 in response to concerns raised by the Worcester community and a lawsuit filed by the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central MA on behalf of three residents in Worcester family shelters, along with the Central MA Housing Alliance and the MA Coalition for the Homeless.

The new policy feels significantly better although I will withhold victory exclamation points until the new policy is reviewed by more community members and the parties involved in the lawsuit.

In response to a question, Head Librarian Penelope Johnson, assured Real Solutions members in attendance that adoption of this new policy would eliminate the use of the address blacklist the library was currently using. With that, the immediate reaction of the Real Solutions members in attendance to the new policy was very positive.

In fact, the Library Board reviewed three options for a new policy at the meeting, ALL of which eliminated the use of the address blacklist and the creation of social service agency cards (firm cards)for program residents to use. In addition, none of the three proposals maintained the plan to implement agency financial responsibility agreements through which residential programs would be required to assume the financial responsibility for items unreturned by residents of agency programs. These were the three parts of the existing policy about which most concerns were raised and their elimination from all three new proposals signified a complete reversal in library thinking. For clarity, the main differences between the three options were whether to mail an address verifying postcard to ALL new applicants or simply those with insufficient ID and proof of address. The third proposal also included the option of verifying addresses off of a statewide MA residents database compiled by the State. This proposal was dismissed quickly by several at the meeting, some of whom were startled that such a database existed and some of who felt very uncomfortable with library possessing and using such a database.

In the end the Board approved Option #1, which they believed would be least onerous for both patrons and staff. The new library policy allows everyone with a photo ID and verifiable address to quickly attain full borrowing privileges (up to 40 items/visit). In addition to the usual MA drivers license or passport, the policy allows the use of utility bills, 30-day rent receipts and landlord verification letters in the absence of a photo ID, and beyond that, it calls for an address verifying postcard to be mailed as the ultimate effort in instances where someone is without any of the acceptable documentation.

The Library will be formally communicating the changed policy through the City Solicitor to Legal Assistance shortly after which a decision will be made on whether to proceed or drop the lawsuit.

Assuming the community’s review of the new policy is accepting and praiseworthy the library’s reversal will be the second significant community organizing success for Real Solutions in recent weeks. Real Solutions, which formed two years ago, is a community-based organization working to change the climate in Worcester against those who are poor. This summer, after continued pressure and discussions, the City of Worcester agreed to remove all of the anti-panhandling signs installed last year around the City. Pair these two changes with the successful reversal of the City’s invitation to the FOX TV show ‘COPS’ in August and you quickly see the vitality of today’s community organizing in Worcester.

Library ends discriminatory lending policy

New Library Lending Policy

New Library Policy and 2 rejected proposals