Bibliography for the Working Poor

7/31/2019 Bibliography for the Working Poor

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Bibliography

Annotations on Articles: Library Services to The Working Poor

Betsy Summers

Auld, H. (2005). Library services in low-income urban communities.

Public Libraries, 44(6), 320-328.

Auld collects eight different perspectives from librarians in urban settings

across the country. Examples are given from each library how they

address services and programming for their low-income patrons, including

evaluation. Urban areas included in the article are Columbus, OH,

Omaha, NE, Queens, NY, Phoenix, AZ, Indianapolis, IN, Arlington Heights,

IL, Providence, RI, and Jacksonville, FL.

This article offers us a diverse, yet outstanding collection of thoughts

from librarians in the trenches, serving the working poor, and poor in

general. Ideas range from partnerships with community colleges to job

fairs (Omaha), to a Ride to Read program formed with the local transit

authority (Jacksonville). A librarian talks about the challenges of program

evaluation (Indianapolis), while one discusses the four guiding principles of

the library services to the poor (Providence).

This is a tremendous article and I would highly recommend it to any

librarian in the need of inspiration. Whether starting a new program or

needing to bring new life to an old one, these librarians offer solutions thathave worked in their communities, and their stories give us hope.


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Betsy Summers

Gieskes, L. (2009). ALA task force member survey on Policy 61.

Progressive Librarian, 32, 82-87.

The ALA conducted a survey on Policy 61, Library Services for the Poor in2009, the latest and newest addition. The survey was sent out to external

members of the ALA with only a small number (648) responding. The

findings, however small, were rather telling of the profession and its overall

service to this population.

Gieskes does an excellent job in deciphering the data, and challenging

some the inconsistencies in the responses. One such case was when 100%

of the members answered the first question, "At our library the poor are:

a) a scarcity; b) rather visible; c) numerous; d) a majority; e) do not use.

Yet, they were then upset by the question, "My library identifies the poor inthe following manner". Respondents did not like the idea of labeling their

patrons, yet in the first question they were somehow able to identify who

was using the library.

I would recommend this article for anyone interested in services to their

poor population, because it does an excellent job of calling attention to,

and addressing, the assumption that l ibraries are doing everything they

can to serve their patrons. Education of staff is mentioned as a key

finding in the study. Getting the word out, providing on going

programming and resources, as well as eliminating fees, are important

ways for libraries to service this population.


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Annotations on Websites: Informational Services to The Working Poor

Betsy Summers

www.workingpoorfamilies.org

Formed as a national initiative, The Working Poor Families Project (WPFP)

is focused on improving state workforce development policies. By

partnering with nonprofit groups at the state level, WPFP begins with an

assessment of the state's current conditions (economic and policy) that

affecting working poor families. Steps are then taken to improve or

strengthen those policies currently in place. The assessment allows states

see how they stack up when compared to other states, they are given

feedback on recommended actions, and informs key stakeholders how to

work in collaboration with state nonprofits and other governmentalagencies to improve policy.

This website is full of useful information about each state, whether or not

it has yet chosen to partner with WPFP. WPFP has created quantitative

research using the latest census and state data, and has published this

information on their website. They also have a Resources & Links page

that lists governmental, policy wonks, and nonprofits organizations, all

working toward a better more just economic climate in America.

I would highly recommend this website for anyone interested in learning

how to get involved in solving economic disparity in the United States. Nomatter how much we want things to change, the only way to really make

a difference is through our government's policy and laws.
http://www.workingpoorfamilies.org/http://www.workingpoorfamilies.org/http://www.workingpoorfamilies.org/


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Betsy Summers

www.keeporegonworking.org

Keep Oregon Working consists of a collaboration of individuals and

organizations that are committed to keeping Oregon's economy strongthrough the preservation of jobs and the protection of the vulnerable. By

forming an alliance to stand up for the working people in Oregon, Keep

Oregon Working fights for long-term growth by creating a shared, level tax

burden, fair economic prosperity, and protects social services to those

who need them most. Keep Oregon Working points to the inequitable tax

paid by corporations as part of the solution in putting Oregonians back to

work in good paying jobs.

Rich with information for the working people of Oregon, Keep Oregon

Working is a website that shares resources, current news stories, and alsoshares real stories about the working poor. The Why We're In This Crisis

page shows us in graphic detail the inequities of the banking crisis only

sheds a more personal light on it.

I would recommend and use this website for quick assess to many other

organizations whose main purpose is to help the working poor in Oregon,

including211info, theOregon Food Bank, and theOregon Prescription

Drug Program. There is an option on the website to sign up for newsletters

and important updates; this would be a great resource for a librarian

serving this population.
http://www.keeporegonworking.org/http://www.keeporegonworking.org/http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/current/tmp/scratch32270/211info.orghttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/current/tmp/scratch32270/211info.orghttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/current/tmp/scratch32270/211info.orghttp://www.oregonfoodbank.org/http://www.oregonfoodbank.org/http://www.oregonfoodbank.org/http://www.oreon.gov/OHA/pharmacy/OPDP/index.shtmlhttp://www.oreon.gov/OHA/pharmacy/OPDP/index.shtmlhttp://www.oreon.gov/OHA/pharmacy/OPDP/index.shtmlhttp://www.oreon.gov/OHA/pharmacy/OPDP/index.shtmlhttp://www.oreon.gov/OHA/pharmacy/OPDP/index.shtmlhttp://www.oreon.gov/OHA/pharmacy/OPDP/index.shtmlhttp://www.oregonfoodbank.org/http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/current/tmp/scratch32270/211info.orghttp://www.keeporegonworking.org/


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Material Resources: Information for The Working Poor

Betsy Summers

Oregon Health Authority Under the umbrella of the Oregon State Government, is the Oregon

Health Authority, which is a information portal for everything to do with

health care for babies up to seniors.

This website is full of useful information on how to stay healthy, where to

go to get free medical exams, and free vaccines for children. It includes

links to the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Special Supplemental

Nutrition Program run by the federal government, and lets patrons know if

they are eligible and how to sign-up if they are. Also provided are links to

recreations sites, like the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, low-cost dental care, newborn hearing screening, FEMA emergency

preparedness, and ideas to keep neighborhoods safe places for kids.

I would recommend this website to the head of a working poor family

who is trying to do what's best for their household. A plethora of great

information on one website, I wouldn't hesitate to offer this website for any

question about where to go in all regards to health, fitness and recreation.
http://public.health.oregon.gov/Pages/Home.aspxhttp://public.health.oregon.gov/Pages/Home.aspxhttp://public.health.oregon.gov/Pages/Home.aspx


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Betsy Summers

www.humansolutions.org Other than ones' health, housing ranks at the top of basic needs.

Helping the working poor for over 20 year, Human Solutions offers multipleservices to those living in or on the edge of poverty. With access to a wide

range of services besides housing needs, Human Solutions offers

information on emergency assistance, job training and counseling. The

goal is to help families escape poverty and the "one crisis away" spiral into

homelessness.

Human Solutions is so much more that a "one-stop-shop" website. It is a

place of families to connect and become part of their communities

through interaction with a caring organization. The long-term effects of

living on the edge of losing everything can take a toll on people;sometimes losing our humanness. Human Solutions offers hope to families

who need to get their humanness back.

In conjunction with the health website, Human Solutions offers working

poor families hope and practical solutions to their "one crisis away"

problems. It becomes so important to have a network of social services

available to this population. To know that they are not alone, that there is

help, is a service the library is perfectly able to provide.
http://www.humansolutions.org/http://www.humansolutions.org/http://www.humansolutions.org/

Documents

Bibliography for the Working Poor