Smelly Readers Not Welcome at This Library

[Unassisted]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...smelly_readers

Smelly Readers Banned From Calif. Library

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - A new county law aims to keep readers from reeking. Libraries in San Luis Obispo County have had their own rules banning offensive body odor since 1994, but the policy became law after the Board of Supervisors last month adopted an ordinance that lets authorities kick out malodorous guests.

Visitors to 14 libraries and a bookmobile also could be asked to leave for fighting, eating, drinking, sleeping, playing games, and printing or viewing illegal materials on library computers.

"The point is to make the library a comfortable, safe place for everyone to use," said Moe McGee, assistant director of the San Luis Obispo City-County Library.

A strict code of conduct, officials argue, is needed to ensure one patron's right to use a public library doesn't infringe on the rights of another.

Yet the law can raise tough questions for librarians, said Irene Macias, Santa Barbara's library services manager.

"What is bad odor?" Macias asked. "A woman who wears a strong perfume? A person who had a garlicky meal?"

[jmcclain19]

This is just aimed at the homeless.

I frequent the Phoenix Library, and on all levels during open hours, you can see homeless sleeping or sitting in the chairs, and you can pick them out because you can smell from several feet away.

Libraries have long been a public place for those less fortunate to hide out during the day. This looks like an attempt to evict that.

[remdog]

Yes, it is obviously aimed at the homeless. And, while they are less fortunate and in need of help, many of these people refuse to go to shelters or other places set up to help them. A library is not a homeless shelter; nor should it be.

Rem

[remdog]

In a somewhat parallel experience I had this weekend, I worked the L.A. Marathon Expo at the L.A. Convention Center. Thursday, Friday and Saturday entrants were to come to the L.A. Convention Center to pick up their bibs, t-shirts and other goodies so that they would have them before the race on Sunday.

There were a lot of corporate sponsors such as car companies (Honda), athletic apparel (Nike) and travel companies (Marriott). There were also a lot of small companies that were exhibiting including many food companies. These companies were often 'sampleing' their products by giving out small amounts of their food products. Because there was no admission charge to enter the Expo (after all, the participants had already paid for the event) and because the L.A. Convention Center is a public building, anyone could enter. On Thursday the place had a great many homeless walking the asiles, eating as much as they could and then moving on only to repeat the cycle later in the day if they could. While I'm simpathetic to the plight of the homeless, it didn't set a very good tone with either the runners or the exhibitors.

On Friday and Saturday there was a distinct reduction in the number of homeless; perhaps there was some ordinance enforced (similar to the above "smelly" ban).

Rem

[RedFanAlways1966]

Good. People should not be subjected to bothersome smells b/c others do not shower. Just like people should not have to be subjected to shirtless or shoeless people while in an eatery. Nice to see that tax-paying citizens still have some rights too!

[macro]

Do homeless shelters have showers available? I ask that question because I really don't know, although I assume they do.

This reminds me of one of my mother's complaints over the years, as she has worked in an office where she comes in contact with people from all walks of life. He contention has always been that, no matter how poor someone is, they can surely afford a bar of soap and some deodorant. (The people she was referring to were not homeless, by the way. It's an home/auto insurance office, so they all either own a home or a car or both.) Her office actually has had a can of Lysol under the counter for as long as I can remember, so that they can attempt to eliminate the odor left by some people.

[zombie-a-go-go]

Originally Posted by macro

Do homeless shelters have showers available? I ask that question because I really don't know, although I assume they do.

Most do, but a lot of them don't work, or are so filthy that you'd be better served by panhandling for change to take a coin-op shower at the local truck stop.

[TC81190]

Now I just wish they would make antiperspirant mandatory.

[Steve4192]

Originally Posted by jmcclain19

This is just aimed at the homeless.

Nahh, it is aimed at the French. Damn smelly frogs!

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by Steve4192

Nahh, it is aimed at the French. Damn smelly frogs!

Beat me to it--I was thinking the same thing! :MandJ:

[SunDeck]

Originally Posted by remdog

Yes, it is obviously aimed at the homeless. And, while they are less fortunate and in need of help, many of these people refuse to go to shelters or other places set up to help them. A library is not a homeless shelter; nor should it be.

Rem

This is something that every library struggles with. Well, some less though than others. When I worked at PLCH in Cincinnati, the Main library had a pretty heavy handed security presence that would keep people awake, police the restrooms to keep guys from bathing in them, etc. Their theory was that if they didn't they'd be overrun with homeless people.
Now I work at Monroe County in Bloomington, a town with a decidedly more open arms view toward the homeless. We let 'em sleep, eat, stink, whatever and the only time we take action is if another patron complains. And generally, they don't. In fact, I'd bet that we'd have protestors on our doorstep if we started kicking guys out for catching naps here.

Honestly, I don't know what the right answer is. It's a public building- what is the harm in letting somone snooze in a chair? But, do they need to strip to the waist and shave in our restrooms? And what about a guy who's just incontinent or something? Lots of those people around who aren't a problem otherwise, but sometimes it's tough to even stand next to a guy who smells like urine.