Why US libraries are on the frontlines of the homelessness crisis

Homeless people are relying on public libraries as a safe haven to stay warm and avoid harassment from law enforcement, advocates say

Libraries across the US are increasingly on the frontlines of America's homelessness crisis, especially during a winter marked by cold snaps and in the wake of the tailing off of the Covid-19 pandemic which has seen many public institutions reopen.

This month two Denver-area libraries closed due to methamphetamine contamination, with library officials from Englewood, Colorado, reporting increased drug use this winter and citing an uptick in homeless people using the library since its pandemic reopening.