Like many urban libraries, ours provides a welcoming, safe refuge for members of our community who are experiencing homelessness and need a place to be during the day. Many spend full days at the library, reading or browsing on the computer. Some utilize the resources of our Job Help Center. Others are less engaged. The presence of these daily library “regulars” presented an opportunity for ongoing programming that can make a real difference over time.

Turning Pages began with a volunteer who saw a news story about a book club for people experiencing homelessness in another city, and she decided to start one in Charlotte and came to the library for help. The group has met weekly for over a decade, coordinated primarily by volunteers who see beyond the circumstances that can separate people and instead build on the humanity, intellectual curiosity and hunger for community that brings us together.

At the outset, there were no defined outcomes for Turning Pages, and it quickly became an example of libraries improving lives. Participants describe the community and stability they’ve found in the club, that in books they can escape their daily challenges, and in the group they find empathy, compassion and practical support. They laugh, celebrate successes and milestones, and socialize. They appreciate different perspectives and look out for one another. In the words of one participant, “this is my extended family.”