Winston-Salem Central Library Struggles with Stereotype as Magnet for Homeless

Link to August 10 Winston-Salem Journal article.

Excerpt: Tucked away behind a tall, unruly bush near the front entrance to the Central Library, a sturdy wooden picnic table is all but invisible to motorists zipping down Fifth Street.

It's like that for a reason.

The people who use it, for the most part, are homeless. They're down on their luck, perhaps handicapped by substance abuse or tortured by mental illness. Like the table where they often gather before the library opens, they're shoved out of sight -- nearly invisible.

With community leaders gearing up for a $40 million bond measure this fall that would, among other things, gin up $28 million to replace the decrepit old downtown library, the homeless patrons represent the 800-pound gorilla that's difficult to talk about openly.

"We do have an image problem," said Don Dwiggins, the public-information officer for the Forsyth County Public Libraries. "People drive by in their cars and make judgments based on what they see outside without coming inside to see what we have to offer."