After noticing a surge in vulnerable people seeking refuge in a Perth library, staff set up a social work program to help support them. But the future of the program is in doubt, with staff saying the Western Australian government funding is out of step with the needs of modern libraries.
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00:00For many, libraries are sanctuaries. They're cool in summer, warm in winter,
00:07have free Wi-Fi, comfortable seats and plenty of entertainment.
00:11They're places vulnerable people feel welcome and comfortable.
00:16Recently we had a young 15-year-old girl who was spending many hours in the library every day.
00:23She wasn't at school and she didn't want to be at home
00:27because she was suffering from domestic and family violence.
00:31And she didn't want to leave when the library was closing.
00:35It sparked an idea.
00:37Library staff felt there was a need for more expertise to be available in libraries to help vulnerable people.
00:44The Success Library added a check-in desk, not for books but for people looking for help.
00:50It's staffed by two social work students with support from Communicare and Coburn Integrated Health.
00:56Anybody can access it. It is one of the few spaces left where you can go and feel comfortable
01:02and not feel obliged to purchase anything.
01:05They provide help in the form of a confidential chat and connect people with support services.
01:10A lot of these supports are set up in a very clinical setting and that can be quite daunting for people to go into
01:15whereas in the library setting everyone is accepted.
01:19It's a very culturally safe space for people to attend.
01:23It's free, it's warm, it's inviting.
01:25It could be housing insecurity, it could be financial difficulties, it could be relationship breakdowns.
01:32Social workers are common in US and UK libraries but it's been slow to catch on in Australia.
01:38The WA Local Government Association says the State Government needs to boost library funding by $30 million over four years
01:46to restore it to pre-2013 levels.
01:49It says the shift in community expectations and needs is placing pressure on public libraries
01:55and while services are changing the funding hasn't kept pace.
01:59It's definitely beneficial and something that we feel is needed and helps our community, our staff and the people involved.
02:09And I think that it could be a model for other local governments to also adopt.