(Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts) WASHINGTON - Every weekday morning, people line up outside the central library in the nation's capital and wait for it to open. Last Monday, about two dozen people, some carrying shopping bags or large backpacks, clustered around the entrance. At 9:30 sharp, the doors opened and they trooped in. Public libraries have long been havens for people with nowhere else to go. Now, a growing number of library systems are adding services for patrons who are homeless, hungry, or suffering from drug addiction or mental illness. For the District of Columbia, that means hiring a social worker, partnering with nonprofits and organizing social hours. The library can be...
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