Exploring the Integration of Social Workers into the Library Setting

Public libraries are evolving in North America. Traditionally established to provide access to books, libraries are transitioning into robust institutions aimed at addressing community needs more holistically.  This increased scope in purpose provides the opportunity for social workers to be integrated into public libraries due to mission alignment and expertise of the profession (e.g., social justice, identifying community needs, serving as resource brokers).  Recognizing that a growing number of social workers are employed or volunteering in library settings yet little research exists on the motivations, processes, purposes, positon roles, and impacts of this approach, our study aims to fill this gap in knowledge.

This study uses a phenomenological qualitative design. We conducted an internet search to identify news articles, academic journals, and library websites that spoke of having library social work programs.  This search generated a list of 11 libraries.  Social workers on staff or their supervisors at 9 libraries responded to an invitation to participate in a 30-minute phone interview with a researcher trained in qualitative methods.  Interview questions aimed to understand: 1) what motivated libraries to hire social workers; 2) program structure; 3) social worker roles at the library; and 4) program impacts.  Interviews were audio recorded and thematically coded using a constant comparison approach. 

We found that most library social work programs began because staff recognized the need to better serve homeless individuals who frequented the library; two programs began by having someone with a social work degree originally employed in another role within the library who then transitioned into a direct practice social worker.  Program structures varied from having one to two full-time social workers on staff, recruiting a social work student intern, or developing a partnership with National Association of Social Workers chapters to recruit volunteer social workers.  Interviewees spoke of social workers serving two main roles within the library: 1) resource navigation support for patrons and 2) library staff training and consultation.  Few libraries reported collecting program data or conducting impact evaluations.  However, perceived impacts of the program on library patrons included increased referrals to quality community resources leading to increased housing and access to food and health care.  Perceived impacts on other library staff included a shift in culture where staff viewed patrons who were homeless or considered to be “difficult” as “human beings”, leading to an improvement in customer service.

Little is currently known on the purposes, structures, roles, and impacts of library social work programs.  Our findings demonstrate the opportunity and need for social workers to serve within this non-traditional setting.  Continuing this trend could increase the profession’s ability to fulfill its mission of meeting the basic needs of all people, especially those who are homeless.  Further, social workers can increase the capacity of traditional library staff to be more empathetic and equipped to respond to the social service needs of patrons.  More rigorous evaluations are needed to understand the impacts of these programs in order to ensure sustainability and replicability.