Whose Library?
Homeless focus leaves booklovers wondering
By Amy Gardner
November 2026
I love the library. As a child, I was thrilled to get my library card and check out any book I wanted. In high school, I studied at my local public library. Now the library is a resource for my family.
I’m a casual patron, but my family members are power users at our library. They know staff by name and use Makerspace and Library of Things. They sent postcards to the branch showing how a borrowed travel guide smoothed the way to a great trip.
I reserve books and pick them up at McKinley Library. A while back, I ventured into Central Library on a Tuesday morning and discovered Recharge Tuesday.
At Recharge Tuesday, social workers help patrons with housing and other services. Charging stations let people recharge phones since the library is closed Sundays and Mondays. There are snacks and activities.
The experience made me consider what our library has become. Libraries are one of the few indoor places where anyone can spend time without buying things. For people experiencing homelessness, libraries provide something valuable: a comfortable space.
Sacramento Public Library has responded to the needs of homeless patrons. Staff connect people with services. Social workers deploy in various branches. The library recruited a social services program supervisor.
But safety is a concern. Sacramento Public Library expanded staff safety training after North Natomas Library Supervisor Amber Clark was murdered outside her library in 2018. Today, security guards patrol many branches.
Earlier this year, the library’s outreach went further.
Sacramento Public Library partnered with Harm Reduction Services and the county Opioid Coalition to bring harm-reduction resources to library branches.
When a mobile needle-exchange RV operated at Southgate and Valley Hi libraries, CBS Sacramento reported on objections from neighbors, particularly over concerns about families and children. The program was put on hold.
Other harm-reduction events were held at libraries. Sacramento Public Library’s event listings described “harm reduction resources,” educational materials and overdose-prevention supplies, categorizing these items for teens, adults and older adults.
At the refurbished McClatchy Library, I saw injectable Narcan, stickers and lip balm available.
The growing focus on library homelessness services raises many questions. The biggest one is this: what do residents want their public library to be?
A public library belongs to everyone, from children to retirees, including people experiencing homelessness. But the library must function for everyone.
Should we expand social services for our most vulnerable residents? Should we employ more social workers? Where do harm-reduction services fit? As we expand these programs at libraries, are we doing right by children and families?
Sacramento Public Library says its mission is to help our communities “learn, connect and grow.” The Library Authority says its purpose includes providing access to resources and ideas that “inspire learning, promote reading, and enhance community life.”
Those goals aren’t necessarily incompatible with helping our most vulnerable neighbors. But how we balance these goals deserves a community conversation.
I love libraries because of what they meant to me as a child and to my family today. What will they mean to a child tomorrow?
I want children to walk into their neighborhood library and know it’s a welcoming, safe place for them, too.
Amy Gardner is a founding member of Midtown-East Sac Advocates. She can be reached at sacwalksafe@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
