THE EDITORIAL BOARD, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Editorial: Support and expand Social Work in Libraries Program
"The Social Work in Libraries Program, a collaboration among the Allegheny County Library Association, the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, began bringing professionals into libraries this September. The Downtown, East Liberty, Allegheny, Oakland and Hill District CLP branches now each have their own in-house social worker.
These experts can handle more intense interventions. They can take the time to guide people to a food bank or to help them find addiction treatment. They can pull someone into another room to place a phone call to a shelter or help research where they might get an ID.
Pittsburgh isn’t the only city with this idea, either. Baltimore, Salt Lake City, St. Louis and Seattle have all brought social workers into libraries in the past year.
The local program is still getting established: The social workers are short-term interns, generally students earning a degree in social work. And the other 17 CLP branches are on their own. We hope the county government and local foundations will consider funding to expand the program further.
It’s a creative way to ease the stress on librarians and to bring more services to the people who need them. And it brings help to one of the few public spaces where people are still encouraged to ask for it."
