Hamilton Public Library to hire a social worker at its downtown branch

A book, coupled with a helping hand.

That's the gist behind a new Hamilton Public Library (HPL) initiative hoping to bridge the gap between the city's wide array of health and social resources, and the people unsure of where to find them.

Backed in a unanimous vote at a board of health meeting Monday, the library will use part of its budget this year to hire a full-time social worker primarily stationed in its downtown branch.

They'll be tasked with guiding in-need visitors through the labyrinth of city services, from food insecurity and affordable housing supports to mental-health and addiction counselling agencies.

It comes after a pandemic that saw library visitors often approach unwitting staff with complex health and social issues, said Paul Takala, CEO and chief librarian.

The need for accessing or connecting to services is probably greater than it has ever been in recent memory," he said in an interview.

While library staff have long fielded questions related to social services, Takala said it leaves them in challenging spots - they want to help but lack the outreach knowledge required to do so effectively.

Having someone with experience can help people facing multiple challenges much quicker," he said. And the sooner a person can find the help available, the better."

The move to on-board a social worker is just the latest in a string of steps the library has taken in recent years to cast itself as more of a community hub than a civic institution.

Consider, for example, the scores of people without internet who attend virtual court hearings at the library's York Boulevard branch, an effort brought forth by the attorney general's office during COVID. Staff set aside a private room for them, replete with webcams, Wi-Fi and links to their hearings. The library also offers supports in the form of a harm-reduction service, an AIDS network, a tax clinic run by volunteers from McMaster University and COVID vaccine clinics.

It's about creating that kind of safe space and environment where people can come in and we help them navigate what they're looking for," Takala said. And something we've heard is people are more relaxed in the library because it's more of a community setting than an institutional setting."

Sebastian Bron is a reporter at The Spectator. sbron@thespec.com