ERIC EJ912048: More than a Library?: Urban Poverty and an Exploratory Look at the Role of a Neighborhood Institution

2010·0.27 MB·English

by  ERIC

PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 22
More than a Library?: Urban Poverty and an Exploratory Look at the
Role of a Neighborhood Institution
By Carolyn Ly, Yale University
Introduction by Waverly Duck, University of Pittsburgh
ABSTRACT
Libraries have traditionally tended to be one of the few institutionally provided pub-
lic resources for local residents in poor, urban, neighborhoods. This paper pres-
ents findings from the exploratory phase of an ongoing research project which exam-
ines, through participant observation, the “value” of a public library in a poor urban
neighborhood. To what extent do residents make use of traditional library resourc-
es? What alternative functions does the library serve in the neighborhood? The find-
ings collected have suggested that the library as a social space contains value to the
immediate neighborhood in ways beyond physical utility; it holds a significant sym-
bolic value or meaning to local residents. These findings suggest that within impov-
erished urban neighborhoods, locally oriented public institutions need to be recog-
nized as fulfilling a variety of unintended functions for the surrounding community.
ARTICLE INTRODUCTION up, she understood the changing land- spirit that she is reminiscent of Joe.
scape of their use due to information It is my sincerest hope that Joe, who
When I read the call for papers for
technology. Though impacted by the was on the frontline of community ac-
the special issue dedicated to the life
economic decline, the library Ly was tivism, would appreciate a project that
and work of Joe Cytrybaum, I instant-
studying, with its embedded rules of personifies opportunities for all chil-
ly thought of the work of Carolyn Ly.
quiet and civility, continued to be a dren, especially those in poor urban
Carolyn Ly is a graduate student with
safe learning space for children and a communities. His work is a constant
whom I have worked for over three
practical resource for job searches and reminder of the importance of provid-
years. Like Joe, she values access to re-
access to information. Ly’s observa- ing educational capital and resource
sources for children and is deeply con-
tions of the library teach us that the opportunities for children. A man
cerned about the growing inequality
needs of libraries and communities whose work has impacted children in
in our inner city neighborhoods. Joe
are one and the same. Libraries are New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago
was committed to justice, a man who
safe, accessible, and very useful com- is a shining example of the role of a
valued creative expression through
munity institutions where all are wel- public intellectual. Ly and I celebrate
spoken word and poetry. It followed
come, all of which are monumentally his life and admire his work and ac-
naturally that he would be dedicated
important in troubled urban spaces. tions. I believe Joe Cytrybaum’s work
to finding artistic opportunities for in-
Challenging provincial ideas about with young people through artistic ex-
ner city kids. I believe Ly’s project is
the importance of library spaces, Ly’s pression is an example of a legacy we
a fitting tribute to him and is repre-
goal was to show that libraries have all can appreciate and imitate. His
sentative of his community work and
a special utility beyond book circula- contributions will truly be missed,
the ideals he fostered so passionately.
tion. Ironically, Ly’s library site almost and we will lead by his example.
Ly’s article presents findings from
closed due to budget cuts during the Ly, who is in the beginning stages
an exploratory ethnographic study that
course of this study. While she doesn’t of this research project, graciously
examines, through participant obser-
mention this in the paper, she played a welcomes comments. Please send
vation, the value and use of a public
significant role in saving the library, at- comments to [email protected].
library in a poor urban neighborhood.
tending community meetings and par-
Observing the disturbing trend of li-
ticipating in the collection of over eight
brary closures due to budget short-
hundred signatures to save the library.
falls in the worst depression since the
Thankfully, the community won. One
1930s, Ly saw that the closures were
of my proudest moments was watching
occurring in predominantly poor urban
her question the mayor using data from
neighborhoods. Since she had volun-
her study, showing the library’s versa-
teered at numerous libraries growing
tile and overlooked use. It is in this
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 23
As a result of the American eco- Human Ecology, Urban Planning, and One interesting finding that is spe-
nomic crisis, local policy and decision- Social Policy disciplines, stand to gain cifically pertinent during the economic
makers across the United States are be- valuable insight on ways to utilize pub- crisis is how the local library as a social
ing forced to find new ways to spread licly supported social institutions such space of existence plays a role within
already thin budgets. Consequently, as libraries and community centers to the larger community. More specifi-
public resources such as local libraries, help ameliorate social inequalities and cally, part of Proctor, Usherwood, and
community centers, and arts and rec- the lack of resources within highly con- Sobczyk’s (1996: 38) research findings
reational programs, are often consid- centrated poor urban areas. Above and indicate that a library’s presence in a
ered as possible services to reduce or beyond the purely use-value resources local community may have significant
eliminate. Comparably, this issue, par- of the library, this paper will present impact on local retailers and other
ticularly regarding libraries, has been empirical evidence which supports the businesses since libraries and library
of interest to British scholars for quite existing evidence that the local library visits bring people to those areas more
some time, as the role of libraries and not only plays a role in providing tradi- frequently. Additionally, regarding the
their relevance and resourcefulness to tional resources, but additionally it has educational aspects and contributions
surrounding neighborhoods has been significant symbolic value attributed to of the library, their report highlights
contested in similar situations where its locality, or localness. In examining that in communities in which access
library closures occurred due to bud- library closures in the UK, Proctor and to “higher and further education” is
get cuts and economic constraints. The Simmons (2000: 32) found that, with less available, there is a “high poten-
consideration of library service reduc- regards to how people feel about librar- tial for extended educational provision
tion and closure as options to alleviate ies, “It offers a resource, which, because through the library service” (23, 37).
budget constraints have been a rela- it is local and belongs to them makes Similarly, Becker et al. (2010:4) high-
tively recent occurrence in the United people feel valued.” They go on to elab- light that libraries are supportive of
States which may partially explain the orate on the relevance of close-proxim- furthering the educational aspirations
limited research examining the role of ities, “Also because it is local, the lo- of patrons by providing supplemen-
libraries in American scholarship. Dur- cal library helps give people a sense of tary tools including internet access and
ing the course of this research, the city identity and community” (2000: 32). computer word processing programs,
considered closing the local neighbor- Furthermore, Proctor, Usherwood, and which are necessary for successful aca-
hood library which was being observed, Sobczyk (1996: 37) examined the effect demic achievement. Supporting this
allowing ethnographic documenta- of library closures on patrons during claim, they provide statistics that assert
tion of the process of the threatened an employee strike in the city of Shef- that about 32.5 million people utilized
closure, and the subsequent response field in the UK. Within their study they technological resources at the library “to
by library patrons and local residents. found evidence that there is “very high help them achieve educational goals”
This article presents findings from value placed on the use of the library as (6). Additionally, they found that 42
the exploratory phase of an ongo- a social resource, particularly in com- percent of the respondents between the
ing research project which examines, munities with higher than average in- ages of 14-18 did schoolwork on public
through participant observation the cidences of social and economic depri- library computers (6). The relevance of
“value” of a public library in a poor vation.” Most recently, Becker et al.’s libraries as significant to their respec-
urban neighborhood. This study ex- (2010:26) findings similarly support tive communities due to “wide ranging
amines: To what extent do residents these assertions regarding marginal- social value” beyond book circulation
make use of traditional library re- ized communities by identifying that (Proctor & Simmons 2000:25; Bamp-
sources? What alternative functions among those who visit the library, some ton 1999; Proctor 1999(a); 1999(b)) is
does the library serve in the neighbor- of the most frequent patrons include supported by the existing, primarily
hood? The goal of this project is to un- the working poor, which they identify British, literature on public libraries
derstand the multifaceted use of local as those who earn 100-200 percent of and the more recent work completed in
urban libraries in an era of economic the federal poverty guideline, women, the United States (Becker et al. 2010).
decline in many of these communities. and people of mixed race.1 In one of
the first and largest national studies Locality and Perceptions:
LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL involving public libraries, Becker et
Neighborhoods, Community, and
al.’s (2010) research – while primarily
FRAMEWORK
focuses on computer use and internet Associated Identities
The American Library Associa- access – additionally provides key in- Inherent in examining the func-
tion, Communication and Informa- sight on more general library data that tion, utility, and role of a local library,
tion Studies, along with Institutions has, until recently, been scarce and on is the need to define what is meant by
such as the Institute of Museum and a smaller scale. These findings, in con- the term “local library.” While there
Library Services are, not surprisingly, junction with the longer-standing body are some minor variations, most pub-
generally the leading proponents in of research regarding libraries, shape lic library systems within the United
the United States in regards to library the existing scientific knowledge on the States consist generally of a main lo-
research. Urban Studies, Sociology, role and various uses of public libraries.
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 24
cation, usually spatially larger with phasize that researchers have begun to (b) perceptions, (c) networks, and
more resources, supplemented by acknowledge that residential identifi- (d) cultures. (Burton et al. 1997)
smaller branch locations. Depending cation (emphasis added) of neighbor-
on state and municipal administra- hood boundaries might be “more close- Loosely considering these four
tive policies the geographic lay-out of ly representative of the neighborhood conceptual dimensions of neighbor-
the libraries may vary. For the con- construct” (Coulton et al 2001:372; hoods may enable researchers to
text of this paper, it is relevant to know Burton, Price-Spratlen, and Spencer, work-through contradicting theoreti-
that the local library being studied is 1997; Elliott and Huizinga, 1990; Ko- cal frameworks and research findings
in a small city which has its own city- rbin and Coulton 1997; Meyer and regarding neighborhood effects and
administered and budgeted library Jencks, 1989; Taylor, Gottfredson, and mechanisms. More recently, Patricia
system consisting of one main branch Brower, 1984). Other research endeav- Hill Collins’ (2010) discussion of “com-
along with smaller branches located in ors which have attempted to address munity” provides a new contextual way
various neighborhoods. The term “lo- and circumvent issues of arbitrary de- of thinking of neighborhoods which
cal library,” in its broadest use within lineation of neighborhoods have cre- also fits within Small and Newman’s
this paper, implies the immediately ated varying research techniques in as- dimensional conceptions. Calling for
surrounding area and the socially ac- cribing boundaries based on a variety the consideration of the concept of
cepted definition of the neighbor- factors.3 The newer approaches have “community” as a political construct,
hood which the library is a part of. 2 been employed and developed in hopes Collins presents arguments regarding
An additional aspect in defin- of more appropriately capturing how the utility of conceptualizing “commu-
ing locality is the broader discussion location-specific aspects – so called nity” as a political construct and em-
and contextualization of the varying “neighborhood effects” – may shape phasizes how this re-conceptualization
neighborhoods or ecological delin- the social life of individuals. Even with may influence newer possibilities re-
eations within the city. Many socio- the existing discrepancies regarding garding inequality-centered research.
logical scholars who have interests in the varying ways of defining neighbor- Within her discussion she states:
urban poverty and inequalities have at- hood boundaries within urban areas, In everyday knowledge, peo-
tempted to define the locality of neigh- the research findings, while somewhat ple often use the term commu-
borhoods in varying ways in hopes of varied, taken as a whole provide an un- nity interchangeably with con-
obtaining more accurate or appropri- mistakable statement regarding how cepts of neighborhood. This
ate measures for researching various exceptionally salient locally-oriented points to the place-based under-
social phenomena related to urban and available social structures are to pinnings of the construct and
settings, and the mechanisms of pov- their neighborhoods. Therefore, while how community is central to
erty and inequalities which exist within there is still debate on which methods of group identification (2010:10).
these urban areas. What becomes ap- delineating neighborhood boundaries
parent within academic disciplines are most valid and appropriate, neigh- What can be inferred from the
such as Sociology and among varying borhood effect studies have highlighted somewhat reciprocal nature of the
cross-disciplinary literature is the lack the crucial need to recognize the power take-for-granted understandings of
of parsimony in the conceptual and and potential of local neighborhood neighborhood and community as in-
working definition of “neighborhood.” resources for poor urban areas within terchangeable is the idea that vary-
The division of social spaces into larger city units, regardless of how we ing conceptions of neighborhoods and
neighborhood segments has been done may choose to define neighborhood communities both play a role in identi-
in varying ways, ranging from tech- areas. Considering the challenges of ty. Similarly, David J. Harding (2009)
niques that have divided neighbor- conceptually creating a general defini- highlights the role of neighborhood
hoods by utilizing administrative units tion of neighborhood while acknowl- as a form of social identity within his
such as census tracks and postal codes edging that varying research ques- research.4 In considering the varying
– the somewhat arbitrary nature of this tions regarding neighborhoods may definitions and conceptual approaches
approach has led to the questioning of have differentially appropriate ways regarding neighborhoods, an exami-
the validity of the research technique. to examine their respective questions, nation of the context of use, and the
In 2001, Coulton et al. conducted re- this analysis will cull Maria Small and possible implications regarding the in-
search in which they asked residents Kathy Newman’s (2001) discussion re- terrelated-role of neighborhoods with
to define neighborhood units by illus- garding neighborhoods in the context identity claims or associations more
trating their perceived boundaries on of urban poverty. They propose four generally, is necessary. As in the case of
a geographic neighborhood map. The separate but complimentary dimen- West Branch Library and the Midville
results from their study suggest that sions regarding neighborhoods (31): neighborhood, examined in this paper,
the differences “between researcher (a) as a social space, (b) a set of re- the concept of neighborhood therefore
and resident-defined neighborhoods lationships, (c) a set of institutions, is both descriptive in making sense of
are a possible source of bias in stud- (d) a symbolic unit (Chaskin, 1997); socially understood boundaries, and
ies of neighborhood effects” (371). In or what we may think of neighbor- also holds meaning as a political con-
support of their findings, they also em- hoods alternatively as (a) sites, struct, in terms of its interchangeability
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 25
with the concept of community (Col- The Significance of the West Branch Census, through a marked and visible
lins, 2010), when people make claims process of gentrification, there was an
Library and the Midville Neighborhood
to institutional resources such as local increased concentration of de facto ra-
West Branch Public Library is lo-
public libraries. Often neighborhoods cial segregation, as the percentage of
cated in the Midville neighborhood of
within cities must take part in battles people who were African American in
the city of Jamesburg, in the north-
which involve “power relations” utiliz- Midville remained relatively constant
eastern United States. 5 Midville could
ing Collins’ words (2010:7), between (currently at 86.4-96.8%) while other
arguably be designated as a “ghetto”
political institutions and marginal- areas in Jamesburg which previous-
in Doug Massey and Nancy Denton’s
ized communities, but additionally, ly had higher percentages of African
(1998) terms. Residents of Midville
between marginalized groups which American residents in 1990 decreased.
and other neighborhoods in Jamesburg
reside in de facto segregated neighbor- What becomes evident in the brief
struggle to find jobs that can provide
hoods which have dealt with persistent overview of descriptive statistics and
a living-wage. Jamesburg is a previ-
inequalities. What is imperative and recent historical trends of the Midville
ously industrial city in the contempo-
relevant to take from this very brief neighborhood is the importance of rec-
rary, post-industrial world, and has
and selectively pointed discussion of ognizing the possible role that unique
few jobs to offer.6 Although Cass Col-
the ongoing, somewhat discordant and structural factors play in understand-
lege is a large presence in Jamesburg
tangent-prone body of literature which ing the library as an especially impor-
and provides thousands of jobs, many
deals with the umbrella term of “neigh- tant social space and resource to the
people who reside outside Jamesburg
borhood,” is the particular discussions local residents of a highly marginalized
which enlighten the case of the library. compete with city residents for both community.8 In particular, the extreme
unionized and non-unionized posi-
A germane starting point for the case systematic ghettoization of Midville
tions. As of the 2000 United States
of the West Branch Library is the iden- over time may have significantly influ-
Census, Midville is located within one
tification and discussion of two broad enced the ways in which the commu-
of the poorest neighborhood areas in
groupings regarding models which nity understands allocated resources,
Jamesburg. 7 Median household in-
address neighborhood effects mecha- socially constructed boundaries and,
come in the Midville neighborhood
nisms. Research oriented towards accordingly, the significance of having
was between $22,000-24,000 (in 1999
answering questions regarding neigh- a public space such as the West Branch
dollars) for those who resided near the
borhood effects mechanisms seeks to Library within those perceived bound-
examine how varying structural level West Branch Library, and about 25% of aries. 9 Accordingly, this descriptive
individuals and 15.5-17.7% of families,
neighborhood-based social phenom- overview in context with the aforemen-
of the area were living below the pov-
ena function to create unintended con- tioned literature and theoretical insight
erty level, well above national averages.
sequences for individual residents; the provided by varying disciplines and
The Midville area is a concentrated
two broad model categorizations are lines of research, all suggest support
African American neighborhood. Of
identified as socialization mechanisms for the assertion that marginalized and
all the neighborhood library locations
and instrumental mechanisms (Kathy impoverished areas, which deal with
in Jamesburg, West Branch Library is
Newman and Rebekah Massengill, constraints such as limited resources,
surrounded by the highest percentage
2001:32-35). By fusing strands of re- have an even greater stake in maintain-
of residents who are African American.
search previously mentioned, this pa- ing a local neighborhood library. Local
While statistics from the 2000
per aims to explore how instrumental libraries are relevant for both tradition-
United States Census are dated, eth-
mechanisms such as truncated social al, and possibly even more importantly,
nographic observation conducted for
space and resources may contribute non-traditional resources, which are
this project seemingly supports the de-
to, and influence, the ways in which arguably especially crucial in impover-
scriptive statistics provided in 2000.
the library is valued and perceived or ished areas such as the Midville neigh-
Accordingly, the 2010 Census data
understood within the context of the borhood in providing useful resources,
will likely continue to support the rele-
local neighborhood. These strands and additionally, helping to construct
vance of the descriptive characteristics
of research help to frame the possible self-worth and neighborhood identity.
provided in this paper. Additionally,
ways residents understand the role of By bringing together the seemingly
there is evidence supporting the like-
the local library, and help to enlighten disparate bodies of research, one can
lihood that similar descriptive trends
how the next phase of this exploratory quickly observe the positive and ame-
will continue. Besides the ethno-
research project, along with other re- liorating possibilities an institutional-
graphic observations that the Midville
search endeavors, may proceed. More ly-supported local resource such as the
neighborhood continues to be highly
specifically, during the threat of clo- library may have on poor and margin-
racially segregated from other areas
sure, the value and possible meaning alized neighborhoods. Additionally,
within Jamesburg, the concentration
of the local library was brought to light this paper will present empirical find-
of people who are African American
– illustratively speaking to the sig- ings which reinforce these assertions.
in the Midville neighborhood has been
nificance and validity of claims of re-
an evident trend over the last few de-
search which emphasize instrumental
cades. Between the 1990 and 2000
mechanisms within poor urban areas.
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 26
METHODOLOGY ing, or just passing the time. These body is predominantly White, yet argu-
field visits provided key insight re- ably significantly diverse in compari-
The initial methodological research
garding the varying functions and util- son to the racial make-up of the Mid-
approach of this study was to collect
ity of the library through observational ville neighborhood and West Branch
exploratory data regarding the role of
participation, which previously had Library patrons who are predominant-
the library within a poor urban neigh-
been sparsely examined by research- ly African American. However, Cass
borhood via ethnographic methods. Of
ers outside of library and communica- College students do not utilize West
the multiple branch locations within
tions studies. Furthermore, the ethno- Branch as a resource as the College has
the Jamesburg library system, the
graphic documentation of the process its own library resources, and addition-
Midville neighborhood’s local West
of contestation to the threat of library ally, the main branch of the Jamesburg
Branch location was selected based
closure additionally gives valuable ex- public library system is located equally
on the context of theoretical sam-
ploratory insight into the relevance of as close to the campus as West Branch
pling.10 In The Truly Disadvantaged,
the library as a local institution and Library, has more desired resources
William Julius Wilson (1987) identi-
possible symbolically-valued resource. for college students to borrow (such as
fies that the concentration of poverty
The library is an institutionally sup- current DVD’s and music), and is con-
in inner-city urban areas leads to the
ported free public space and since it is sidered as being located in a more de-
relative greater disadvantage of those
public, there are no physical barriers sirable and accessible area to students.
residents.11 Additionally, he empha-
to getting access, however researchers Due to the non-existent, or infrequent
sized varying structural changes which
who practice ethnography by following at best, presence of non-resident, non-
have occurred since 1970 which are
the observing participant method refer African Americans at West Branch,
descriptively characteristic of the city
to access or “getting in” as an accep- the researcher’s presence was initially
of Jamesburg. Wilson’s findings are
tance by, and a close relationship with, quite noticeable. Yet, over the course
further utilized to theoretically inform
research subjects (Anderson, 2001: of the study, while reading, taking field
the selection of the library branch lo-
16005).13 The implications of the par- notes, and working on the computers,
cation and corresponding neighbor-
ticular inquiries during the initial phase the librarians became more familiar,
hood within the smaller context of the
of this project is that the type of access and often engaged the researcher in
city of Jamesburg; West Branch was
which was necessary is different than small talk. The combination of visiting
chosen because of its location within a
the style of “observing participant” eth- the library more than a few times, while
neighborhood that has experienced an
nographies which utilize “thick descrip- simultaneously engaging in library life
observed trend of increasingly highly
tion” (Geertz:1973) and are prevalent in a similar manner to other regular li-
concentrated residents who are primar-
and widely accepted within contem- brary patrons, and obtaining a library
ily African American with high rates of
porary sociological urban ethnography card, which you must have proof of
poverty and working poor in compari-
studies.14 In contrast, this research en- Jamesburg residency to obtain, enabled
son to other branch locations situated
deavor aimed to explore the practical the researcher to be recognized as part
in neighborhoods within Jamesburg.
use and function of the social space of of the library community by the “au-
This paper seeks to examine broad-
the West Branch Public Library – that thorities” of the library – the librarians.
ly the role of the library as a social in-
is the unit of analysis was the library Through their acceptance, they assisted
stitution and the specific type(s) of
space and its utility, which could be the researcher in becoming part of the
function(s) a local library fulfills. Dur-
observed without building close re- social space of the library; their treat-
ing non-routine visits to the library,
lationships with the library patrons. ment indicated to other regular library
shorthand field notes were recorded
The intentions of observing through patrons that the researcher was “in.” 15
and were immediately extended and
participation at the library raised con-
transcribed after each visit to the li-
brary.12 Field visits were additionally cerns about how the researcher would FINDINGS
achieve a status of a regular library pa-
varied by the duration of time of each The West Branch Library, a one-
tron. More specifically, it was vital to
visit; visits were made on various days story brick building, has been a part of
be able to visit the library and observe
and times to ensure that observation of the Midville neighborhood since 1969.
library use as a patron, collecting em-
library utilization were made during a The all brick building is located in the
pirical data as an observing participant
variety of circumstances, i.e. during af- middle of a strip mall known as “Mid-
of the social space and utility of the li-
ter school and non-after school hours, ville Plaza,” which also includes a vari-
brary, and ultimately, to blend in with
on weekdays and weekends, and on ety of shops and offices. To the left of
the other patrons. As a library patron
days with various weather conditions. the strip mall is “G-Mart,” a discount
the researcher was conspicuously dis-
Some visits were very brief (30-45 min- grocer, to the right, and also within
similar to most of the library’s other
utes), typical of regular library patrons the premises of the plaza parking lot,
patrons who were predominantly Af-
who pop into the library to utilize the is the “Holy Testament” Church, both
rican American. West Branch Library
computer, and others lasted for lon- in separate, stand-alone buildings. A
and the neighborhood of Midville are
ger durations (up to 3 hours), typical school and playground are located
located within walking distance of the
of patrons doing homework, research- directly behind the plaza. The retail
Cass College Campus whose student
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 27
and office spaces within the Midville 2:45 and the entire back computer and sign them in to use a computer
Plaza range from high-use to cur- area is full with teenagers and oth- in the children’s’ computer area. They
rently vacant and are representative ers are sitting at the work tables and would then leave the library to return
of the surrounding neighborhood’s talking. There must be at least 15 later, at times with purchases made
wide-ranging mix of varying condi- people here…3:20, the children’s from other parts of the plaza, infor-
tions – new residential housing areas computer area is starting to fill up; mally utilizing the library as childcare.
to dilapidated abandoned houses or there are 6 boys crowded around Many field notes collected from li-
corner stores bustling with constant three computers, and two other boys brary visits were marked by the con-
customers to neighborhood residents are sitting at the nearby tables talk- stantly changing and flexible landscape
hanging out on desolate streets with ing. A man enters with a little girl of the social space within the library.
boarded up stores no longer occupied. and signs her in with the librarians A review of the data revealed that on
The West Branch Library is often to use the children’s computer area longer visits, experiences changed as
bustling with children and teenagers while he reads a magazine in the the context of library users and uses
who show up by foot from their local reading area designated for adults. changed, at times it was extremely
neighborhood homes and schools dur- quiet while at other times there was
ing peak after-school hours. However, The Neighborhood Library as an a consistently low hum of whispered
in terms of consistent presence of pa- voices socializing and interacting. Pa-
Available, Safe, Local, Public Space
tronage, the library has a constantly trons would come and go, during brief
fluctuating characteristic; outside of The lack of consistency in presence visits to utilize the free internet access
the peak after-school hours (and even of library patronage should not be taken on one of the library computers, use the
occasionally among those hours) it has as indication to the level of utility that restroom, “just to hang out,”16 check
the same characteristic mix of high use the library provides or as indication of the time, browse a national or special-
and abandonment as the rest of the strip the amount of relevance it has for the lo- ized paper during a work break, or to
mall of which it is part. At any given cal community. Midville residents also check for new fiction and exchange a
time you could easily walk into a packed have the opportunity to visit the library brief greeting with one of the librarians
library full of kids, adults and seniors, and attend library-sponsored classes and/or volunteers. On a few occasions
or on a nice day, into a completely emp- and workshops on a range of topics some patrons would quite literally walk
ty library consisting of only staff and/ including informational meetings re- into the library, look around as if look-
or volunteers sitting at the circulation garding mortgage foreclosures, GED ing to see if a particular person was
desk. These finding address indirectly and homework help, Resume How-to, around, and then walk out. During lon-
the role that time and weather, as well children’s Valentine’s Day card-making ger visits, patrons were observed uti-
as school and library schedules play in craft event, and Preschool story time. lizing the library space to study, hold
library attendance. Two contrasting As previously mentioned and observed informal meetings, do homework, uti-
excerpts from my field notes during the through field visits, patrons of the li- lize the computer for games and word
peak after school hours exemplify this: brary may visit it for short durations processing functions, and to socialize.
Field note: of time and spontaneously, hence, part Another event, which occurred dur-
3:38PM- The weather is amazing of the value of the library is based in ing exploratory field work, and which
(sunny and 60’s with a light breeze) the basic premise and knowledge of its supports the suggestion that the lo-
it feels like the first nice day of existence and the ability to utilize it at cal library functions as, and is gener-
spring. Upon entering it looks as will. Somewhat inherent within this ally considered, an available safe space,
if the library is completely empty acceptance of the library’s function, is was a shooting outside of the library in
with the exception of the two li- the belief or view that the library is a the parking lot between the library and
brary workers sitting at the front safe place to spend time because it is church. The shooting occurred shortly
desk. After a minute of settling in, the only consistently supervised public before a field visit and interestingly,
it becomes noticeable that there is space available to residents. In addi- even with the occurrence, everything
one person in the library. It is the tion to the West Branch Library being seemed “normal” within the library
young pre-teen boy that has been in a source for reading materials, internet (with the exception of the main en-
the library before and he is inquir- access, computing functions, informal trance being locked upon arrival) and
ing about the same things –look- and formal meeting space, and edu- it was not immediately evident that
ing for books and searching online cational purposes, visiting the field as anything had happened until the po-
for information on starting his own an observing participant enabled the lice arrived and began talking about
business. He is wandering around collection of ethnographic data which the shooting. The police and library
looking for books on his own. illustrated the ways the library is also workers had an exchange speculat-
He eventually seeks help again utilized for informal childcare, and ing what kind of gun might have been
from a librarian on how to find as an available local space which was used during the shooting based on the
books about “starting a business.” trusted to be safe. During observa- bullet casings which were found. The
tions, parents frequently would enter exchange was loud enough to be heard
The library is pretty busy today, its the library with slightly older children even though they were at least 20 feet
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 28
away. The children’s computer section became possible. The social phenome- West has functioned as a commu-
was just as close to them and also with- non of constrained geographic space in nity center since the Midville Com-
in earshot. My field notes highlighted disadvantaged neighborhoods is illus- munity [‘U’] House closed its doors
that there was no effort made to hide or trated most relevantly by David J. Har- in 2002…closing down West would
obscure the fact that there had been a ding’s discussion of his research find- add further insult to our already
shooting incident from library patrons, ing regarding two poor areas in Boston: injured community that is strug-
which included young children, who Violence in these areas reinforces gling to heal. Furthermore, clos-
may not have been around during the the neighborhood as a form of so- ing down West will definitely con-
event. This assertion is not a critique cial identity, restricts adolescent tribute to increased youth violence
of the adults’ behavior; in contrast, it is boys’ pool of potential friends, and crime, as the library is one of
emphasized due to it’s suggestive na- structures their use of geographi- the few safe havens for our youth.
ture regarding the implications towards cal space, and leads younger ado-
the relationship the children in this lescent boys to greater interaction The petition utilized language that
neighborhood might have to violence: with older adolescents and young emphasized the significance of the li-
close proximity and/or relatively fre- adults on the street. (2009: 446) brary as an available, safe, local, public
quent exposure to violent events such space and additionally alludes to the
as these which might contribute to the Constrained social spaces conse- symbolic meaning given to the library
normalization of violence, and accord- quently also truncate and limit what by highlighting that residents would
ingly, provides additional insight on resources are accessible within the be “insulted” if another institution-
possible socialization mechanisms of- boundaries of the neighborhood. ally supported public resource such as
ten studied in neighbor effects research. Similarly, with the closing of the ‘U’ the ‘U’ house was taken away.19 Much
“There were at least two shots, I House in 2002, the West Branch li- of this same rhetoric was repeated at
thought it was popcorn at first but brary became the only accessible pub- the Mayor’s budget meeting. The fol-
then a bunch of kids came running lic neighborhood resource. It contin- lowing are selected excerpts from the
into the library” the library worker, ues to fulfill multiple functions, and field notes on the budget meeting:
who in future field visits was identi- accordingly, important roles for the Field note:
fied as a young volunteer, stated while surrounding communities’ residents. The room is packed and there are
describing the shooting to the officers. people occupying all the chairs and
This quote demonstrates that during An Unexpected Threat: Neighborhood standing along the sides against
times of violent occurrences, local chil- the walls. Arriving early helped
Boundaries and Claims for a Local
dren turn to the library as a safe social to provide a seat but hard copies
space.17 Furthermore, after the shoot- Library of the Mayor’s presentation of the
ing, library patrons continued to uti- Early in the process of conducting budget had run out. Residents of
lize the library as they normally would, fieldwork, which took place during the Midville and West Branch Library
while the library staff regulated the en- mists of the economic crisis, the mayor patrons turned out to show support
trance to the library via maintenance of of the city of Jamesburg, Charles Es- for the branch and donned white
the locked doors and visually assessing pisito had mentioned to a local news- nametag-sized stickers which were
all patrons before allowing entrance. paper that the closing of West Branch labeled with either the phase “Save
Within Midville, West Branch has be- Library was being considered as a pos- West” or “I Support the West Li-
come one of the few, if not only, safe sible option to fund a predicted budget brary” brightly printed in all capi-
public indoor spaces where anyone gap for the city’s next fiscal budget. tal rainbow-colored letters.
may go to and be at without question. Midville residents, West Branch’s loyal
This is especially significant to the patrons, and some residents from the The mayor goes through the up-
community because there are currently wider Jamesburg area made efforts to coming fiscal year’s budget page
no alternative indoor or outdoor multi- “Save West” and prevent the library by page. He explains each Power
use places or spaces that offer the same from being closed through community Point slide one by one including
valuable resource to the Midville neigh- organizing and mobilization efforts. the various factual bullet points as
borhood. Up until 2002, a large build- These efforts included a petition which he goes. He is currently discuss-
ing directly across the street from the garnered support of over 800 local ing the next fiscal year’s waste
library nicknamed “the U House”18 op- residents within a few days, and a sig- management budget, people in the
erated as a community center and “safe nificant physical presence of support- audience look somewhat bored,
public space” for the Midville residents. ers at the Mayor’s public fiscal budget fidgety, and slightly impatient.
“Safe,” as defined by several people in meeting. The community members
the community, meant a place with low who rallied to keep West Branch The mayor nonchalantly slips in
incidences of violence, but also a space open demonstrated the varying ways that “all libraries will stay open
within the community where crossing that local residents value the library and operated by the city” as he
boundaries between adjacent neigh- by signing a petition which stated: talks about that part of the budget
borhoods without the threat of violence (this seems to be a very particu-
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 29
lar way to phrase this announce- ent through the manager’s comments her emphasis on the interchangeable
ment as no other library branch is that there are practical implications nature of the terms neighborhood and
in Jamesburg besides the West of socially constructed boundaries be- community within everyday use, and
Branch Library had been up for tween neighborhoods within the city, hence relevance to this discussion), she
closure or even service reduction). and that community members are argues that one dimension of under-
aware and maintain these boundaries: standing community as a political con-
In response to the mayor’s indi- Youth are dealing with territories struct is recognizing the close associa-
rect acknowledgement of West right now, and it’s very difficult for tion between community and symbolic
Branch Library being spared from youth to move from one location boundary construction (24). The issues
closure during budget cuts, a li- in the city to another. For me, or raised during the threat of closure of
brary supporter assertively inter- anyone else to say that, “just tell the local West Branch library location,
rupts the mayor by yelling, “Does the children that go to West library provides possible exploratory support
that include West Branch?!” Af- to go to the Foxhill Library, or go for Collins assertions regarding this di-
ter he confirms, people clap and to Oakridge Library, or go to the mension of community as being closely
cheer, but the response is de- library in Westville,” well, that’s a related to symbolic boundary construc-
layed (people seemed skeptical?). little bit more comfortable for some tion and subsequently, in the case of
people than others. Um, some Midville, the identity-formed vis-à-vis
Additionally, in fighting to keep the youth can’t move from Midville to the neighborhood further strength-
library open, some community mem- Willington, let alone from Willing- ened the community as a political
bers made comments during the meet- ton to Midville to Oakridge to the construct in direct regard to maintain-
ing to Mayor Espisito emphasizing that Foxhill, it just doesn’t operate like ing the West Branch library as a local,
the library was the only resource that that. And I think that there, more institutionally-supported resource.
the Midville community had of its own people need to sit to the table and
in comparison to other neighborhoods. really understand that, and…and I CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR
The awareness and articulation of the have the children say to me all the
FUTURE RESEARCH
limited nature of their own neighbor- time, the youth say: “Miss Dana,
hood resources suggests that part of well you’re one of those people that Forty-one years after the original
the significance placed in maintaining you can live in the Ville but you can letters initially spelt, “Public Library,”
a neighborhood library within the area work in the Tribe.” And…, and I the new mostly green awning with
is related to preserving a local neigh- think that, that’s very cutely said blue trim now reads in bright white
borhood-based identity (Proctor and but I can also understand the seri- letters “Midville Branch Library,” ad-
Simmons, 2000:32; Proctor, Usher- ousness of it. I can get it my car, or ditionally, directly above the entrance
wood, and Sobczyk,1996: 37). One of I can walk-which I do sometimes. I of the library additional bright white
the arguments that had let to the con- live four blocks away from here and letters read “Jamesburg Free Public
sideration of closing the library to fund I live in Willington, and then I come Library.” The façade of the formerly,
the budget-gap was that if the branch down here, and I work in Midville all-brick exterior is now decorated with
was closed, residents could still travel and I take that for granted. Um, public art work in the form of a mural
to the main Center Branch library loca- but there are many youth that, you which celebrates the living history of
tion, which debatably is within physi- are well aware of, that just cannot the Midville neighborhood. Beyond
cal walking distance. However, as walk from Willington to Midville, the positive physical signs of renewal,
previously mentioned in the literature or any other neighborhood without the West Branch library still operates
review, the awareness of constrained it being a problem. So, that’s one on reduced service hours with only a
social spaces and violence related to of the things that really, really con- handful of rotating Saturday openings.
constructed boundaries20 between cerns me, for someone to say, “Well, During the period of this research proj-
neighborhoods, which have practical the kids from this neighborhood ect, the discount grocery store, which
real life repercussions, shape the ways can just walk to another library.” was once a part of the plaza was closed,
in which individuals within the com- and now stands empty. The only oth-
munity are able and willing to negoti- These comments by the West Branch er grocer, a larger retail chain grocery
ate travel within and between neigh- employee which directly quote a local store, which was located further away,
borhood areas (Harding 2009:446).21 youth illustrate explicitly the observed but still accessible to Midville residents
The following quote is from the social phenomenon of constrained so- with out having to rely on transporta-
West Branch Library Manager address- cial space (Harding, 2005).22 Midville tion such as public bus systems, or pri-
ing issues related to neighborhood is a neighborhood area which has invis- vate automobile, subsequently was also
boundaries in the process of describing ible walls, or imagined boundaries that closed after being bought out by an-
and highlighting how a young library have real effects that separate and seg- other grocery chain which deemed the
patron was concerned about how the regate. Collins (2010) calls for the re- location unprofitable. The continued
possible ensuing library closure might conceptualization of “community” as trend of declining resources of both
affect them. What becomes appar- a political construct (bearing in mind a public and a private nature, which
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 30
directly affects residents of Midville areas that are homogeneous in racial project is supported by the George W.
highlights the prevalent dangers that make-up. Further examination which Camp Mini Grant through the Sociol-
neighborhoods of all sizes are facing. supports that local neighborhood ar- ogy Department at Yale University.
The findings presented in this pa- eas hold significant impact, and have
per are from the initial stages of a re- a probable chance of being more rele-
search project which provides explor- vant than city units in regards to neigh- Carolyn Ly is currently a doctoral
atory empirical data exemplifying how borhood effects studies are needed, student in Sociology at Yale University.
non-traditional uses of a local library, hence, consideration has to be given Her research interests include: cultural
that have been previously ignored or to the serious implications of the pos- sociology, urban poverty, ethnography,
infrequently measured, are relevant in sible reallocation or division of city race and ethnicity, and Asian Ameri-
examining the role of the library as a resources towards specific local neigh- can Studies. Carolyn holds a master’s
publicly provided social institution and borhoods. The possibility that these degree in Sociology from Yale Uni-
resource within the context of the local resources are more crucially needed versity, and a B.A. summa cum laude
neighborhood. The empirical findings and impactful in these areas should from Hunter College, City University
highlight the significance of the local be further researched and considered. of New York; Phi Beta Kappa. Cur-
library as a meaningful institutionally- Ongoing phases of this project seek rently she is working on two additional
supported resource for neighborhood to further examine the role of the West research projects, the first examines
residents in impoverished and margin- Branch Library as a neighborhood culturally-significant racialized repre-
alized areas. This suggests that future institution, and more broadly exam- sentations of Asian Americans in film,
research endeavors concerned with ur- ine the relevance of libraries as one the second addresses the processes
ban poverty may want to examine and of the final survivors of “dying neigh- and social mechanisms which shape
address the roles of various local public borhood” institutions. A secondary racialized categorization of others
institutions like community centers in phase of this research project which within an intersectional framework.
poor urban areas. One possible issue may aide in broadening the scope and Address: P.O. Box 208265 New Ha-
with this suggestion it that during this generalizabilty of the research find- ven CT 06520-8265 [email:Carolyn.
time of economic crisis, most poor ur- ings and implications is a comparison [email protected]]. Please contact Carolyn
ban neighborhood areas no longer have to a broader, large-scale case involv- Ly via email if you have any inquires
community centers of their own. Con- ing the ongoing tracking of the threat or suggestions regarding this project.
sequently, what if libraries are “the last of closure to the city of Philadelphia’s Thank you in advance for your interest.
defense” in protecting publicly-sup- entire library system which consists of
ported neighborhood institutions in 54 library branch locations. Addition- Waverly Duck is an Assistant Pro-
the battle of budget cuts? This would ally, continued field work with West fessor of Sociology at the University of
seemingly make all aspects regarding li- Branch will ensue in possible conjunc- Pittsburgh. His research interests
braries increasingly relevant to explore. tion with other qualitative methods focus primarily on inequality using
Furthermore, in considering Wil- such as interviews, surveys, or focus ethnographic methods to study the
son’s (1987) findings, if the subjects groups. Further research is needed orderliness of recognizable situated
of interest are similar in many ways to help better-inform policy mak- practices concerning race, class, age,
within a city of concentrated urban ers and provide data-driven support gender and social change. That is, he
poor (i.e., characteristically homoge- regarding the relevance of neighbor- is interested in the observable and local-
neous: think of large areas of Chicago, hood institutions like the local library. ly recognized mechanisms which cause
Philadelphia, L.A.), what do neighbor- and subsequently reproduce inequality
hood boundaries then demarcate? Cre- overtime.
ative theoretical application of Small, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Harding and Lamont’s articulation of
I would like to especially thank Wa-
symbolic boundaries as being integral
verly Duck for his ongoing support and
to social identities in similar ways as
encouragement with this project. I
narratives, yet different in that sym-
would like to thank: Elijah Anderson,
bolic boundaries “illuminate the cul-
Jeffrey Alexander, Julia Adams, Rich-
tural basis of group divisions” (2010:
ard Breen, Rene Almeling, and Erica
17) may help to construct research ap-
Chito Childs for their continued guid-
proaches which will more appropriate-
ance. I am grateful to Nadine Amalfi,
ly answer questions regarding urban
Sorcha Brophy-Warren, Anette Fa-
poverty, while still being theoretically
sang, and Sarah Egan for helpful com-
informed by Wilson’s (1987) findings
ments on this paper. Finally, I would
through a reconceptualization of ideas
like to thank all my friends and family
regarding constructed neighborhood
for their unwavering support and en-
boundaries as more salient in consid-
couragement. This ongoing research
ering research in urban, impoverished
PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 31
ENDNOTES
1 The study was by Samantha Becker, Michael Crandal, Karen Fisher, Bo Kinney, Carol Landry, and Anita Rocha
through the University of Washington Information School and was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library
Services along with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
2 “Socially accepted” refers to the local knowledge of neighborhood boundaries. While these neighborhoods are not
labeled as such on a published map, a resident of the city would know of the neighborhoods and be able to identify
the general areas. This is similar, on a smaller scale, to the ways in which cities such as Philadelphia, Los Angeles, or
Chicago are known to have socially accepted or understood neighborhoods.
3 This includes but is not limited to: consensus of residents’ perceived boundaries utilizing statistical techniques
(centroid-calculated and averaged block group areas: Coultron et al, 2001); “face block” measures which break-down
blocks into segments on one side of the street (Taylor, 1995); “tertiary community” units or “t-communities” which
Grannis identifies as “communities defined by their internal access via pedestrian streets” (Grannis 2005: 295); and
ethnographic research methods that rely on observational participation “to provide a truthful rendition and analysis of
the social and cultural world of the subject”(Anderson, 2001:16006).
4 The larger focus of Harding’s (2009) work examines how violence, as an influencing factor, limits or constrains geo-
graphic social spaces identified often as neighborhood boundaries in urban area, and the resulting unintended conse-
quences to forming heterogeneous peer groups.
5 Due to the ongoing nature of this research project, while data collected for this paper was public (all observations
were made in public spaces and comments are quoted from publicly published materials), all names and locations are
pseudonyms.
6 For further discussion of the declining availability of jobs and the urban poor see William Julius Wilson (1996).
7 All descriptive data was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Fact Finder via thematic maps by block
group with data divided into seven data classes.
8 This case includes additional analysis of historical and structural factors which are currently unpublished and due to
length constraints are not presented in this paper.
9 See Jack Katz’s (2010) argument encouraging historically informed (ethnographic) research and the ensuing discus-
sion which calls for greater attention to the role of temporality within interpreting empirical data in current research,
specifically ethnographic studies conducted within urban centers which Katz emphasizes are embedded in the histori-
cal trajectories of their corresponding urban centers.
10 For a brief discussion on the merits of theoretical sampling within ethnographic research see Wilson (2009: 550).
See also Willer (1967).
11 See also Wilson (1996). Additionally for a discussion of the on-going research which spawned from findings present-
ed in The Truly Disadvantaged see Small and Newman (2001).
12 One field note is recorded from the Mayor’s budget meeting which took place at the main library branch. Addition-
ally, some later field visits were only transcribed if observations of new and anomalous nature occurred.
13 For further discussion on the difference between “participant observation” and “observing participant” style ethnog-
raphies see Anderson, 2001: 16005-16006.
14 It is not the intention of this paper to address the validity and reliability of one approach of ethnography (“partici-
pant observation” and “observing participant”) over the other. These differences are merely highlighted as referential
within the discussion of this particular paper’s methodological approach during this phase of the research project. For
a brief discussion on the historical evolution of Urban Ethnography see Anderson (2001).
15 Their acknowledgement and then subsequent lack of attention to the researcher, someone who is visually different
than the existing community members due to distinct “ethnic” features, signaled acceptance or “in” status as a pa-
tron within the social space of the library: Incidences were observed in which a few non-regular or visually different
patrons visited the library and were treated with great attention by the librarians who immediately inquired about
what they might need, or be looking for. Often after the initial few visits, even though occasional inquiries were made
about borrowing a book or the use of a public library computer, the librarians would quickly disregard the researcher’s
presence after a brief greeting, which was very similar to their treatment of regular library patrons. Noted was the dif-