It seems like this is done to keep people from sleeping or hanging around, but can they legally enforce that?
Yes, being homeless or not having a laptop doesn’t give you special protection. So, technically, it’s legal to make those rules.
Yep, libraries are public institutions and have the authority to set their own rules, even if it means removing people for loitering or other reasons.
Winter said:
Yep, libraries are public institutions and have the authority to set their own rules, even if it means removing people for loitering or other reasons.
My grandma goes to the library often just to read. How do they know who’s a regular visitor and who’s loitering? It feels like, before the Supreme Court allowed police to clear camps, libraries were more focused on being ‘inclusive.’ Are they just changing everything now?
@Aza
It’s probably the difference you’re describing. Your grandma reads, so she’s using the library for its intended purpose. A homeless person who is also reading would likely be treated the same way. It’s about what you’re doing there.
@Ira
That matches my experience from when I was homeless. I kept clean and spent most of my time reading. I was basically invisible. The ones who got attention were the ones causing issues—talking loudly, making messes, sleeping, or hogging the computers.
@Parker
Yep, if you keep a low profile and look like you’re there for a reason, no one’s going to question it. Even in high-security places, if you seem like you belong, people often just overlook you. Unless someone’s obviously being a problem, they’re usually left alone.
@Keegan
In high school, I once stole a coin-operated copy machine from a mall just by wearing a Xerox polo shirt and holding a clipboard.
@Keegan
I work in construction, and I can confirm this! People barely notice someone in a high-vis vest. I’ve walked into restricted areas more than once by accident because nobody questioned me. (I wasn’t stealing, just lost!)
@Parker
Or they’re the ones smoking meth in the bathroom and doing weird stuff on the computers.
Remy said:
@Parker
Or they’re the ones smoking meth in the bathroom and doing weird stuff on the computers.
Isn’t that what all library users do? Or should they smoke it quietly between the book stacks, like gentlemen?
@Aza
How do they tell the difference between a regular visitor and someone loitering? It’s based on what people are doing and how they look. If you’re reading or using the library, they won’t bother you.
Libraries have never been places to just hang out without a reason. Even homeless people are welcome, but only if they’re using the space as intended—not to just sit there doing nothing.
@Keegan
There’s actually a term for spaces where people can just hang out—‘third places.’ They’re recognized as important, but we don’t have enough of them.
@Aza
If your grandma is reading, they’ll probably leave her alone. If homeless people come in and use the computers or read, they’re fine too. It’s only a problem if they’re sleeping or doing something they want to prevent.
@Aza
It’s not hard to tell. If someone’s reading or using the space as it’s meant to be used, they’re a patron. Loitering usually means someone is there without really doing anything productive.
This is my lap.
This is the top of my lap.
Would you like to confirm that it’s really my lap?