1.
Your Local Library: A Space for
Everyone
Library services for homeless people,
refugees and asylum Seekers
Sheila Kelly, Divisional Librarian, Equality and Social Inclusion
Dublin City Public Libraries

2.
Homeless Services
Dublin Region
Homeless
Executive
Dublin Region
Central Placement
Service
Homeless
Charities
Family Homeless
Action Teams
Dublin City Council

3.
Supported Temporary
Accommodation
• Hostels are the main form of emergency accommodation provided
for single homeless people. Hostels can be short-term or long-term
• Dormitories or single rooms and some include meals and other
services. Some may charge for accommodation on a nightly or
weekly basis.
• Referrals on the day or further up to 6 months
• Other emergency accommodation- bed and breakfasts, hotels or
family hubs used for people for whom hostel accommodation is not
suitable, due to the size or composition of the household or to
particular medical or social needs

4.
Family Hubs
• Replacing commercial hotels for families
• Separate bed rooms, play space, cooking and laundry facilities
and communal recreation space
• Often for families with children who have lost their rented
accommodation or become registered as homeless
• Security of an ongoing placement, which they may not have in a
hotel
• Supports made available for families as they move on to other
housing options, when they become available

5.
Library service: Aim and Focus
Our main focus is to offer individuals and families living in supported
temporary accommodation the opportunity to use our library services
in the same way that everyone else does.
Our aim is to make their homelessness invisible and offer a quality
service and welcoming space as we do to everyone.
We may offer specific services depending on service development
and the management of particular hubs/hostels /hotels.
Focus Ireland’s Family Homeless Action Team Leaders have been
briefed on library services available for people accessing emergency
accommodation

6.
Library Services for people in
Supported Temporary
Accommodation
• Ease of membership
• Block Loan
• Storytelling session and introduction to the library service
• Contact persons
• Library Tours and orientation for Development Managers
• Change of address reminder
• Specific targeted/individualised service

7.
These books are borrowed from Ballymun Library. You can take
one to your room to read but please leave it back as soon as you
are finished so that everyone can enjoy them.
We will have the books for a few weeks and we will put up a notice
a few days before they are due back so all the books can be
returned and swapped for new ones.
If you want to join Ballymun library yourself, it’s easy and
everything is free!
The library is on Ballymun Road and you can phone 8421890 or
go to http://www.dublincity.ie/ballymun-library
Happy Reading!

8.
Challenges
• Development Managers not assigned
• Development Managers not engaged with Library services
• Very quick turnover in staff in hubs
• Various and diverse charities involved
• Serious difficulties with access
• Privacy
• Location and distance from Library

9.
Thank You!
“The ache for home lives in all
of us, the safe place where we
can go as we are and not be
questioned.”
Maya Angelou