New Library Rules Aimed at Limiting Homeless

The has revised its rules of acceptable behavior to limit the impact of homeless people who have recently begun to spend more time there, according to this Express-Times report.

Sleeping, bathing and panhandling became prohibited activities at the library as of last month, according to the story. The new rules also prohibit bringing in sleeping bags or having “offensive bodily odors.”

“A library cannot be an adult day care center — we do not have the resources for it,” library Executive Director Janet Fricker told the newspaper. “It was getting out of balance. It was getting to a point where people who regularly use the library with their kids weren’t coming here anymore.”

However, the pastor of the Christ Church United Church of Christ in Bethlehem has raised objections.