In every city and town across America, our libraries are loved. I know I smile to myself every time I come through the entry doors of the central branch in downtown Seattle.

For people experiencing homelessness, libraries have always been sanctuaries. Maybe most importantly, they are a safe place to be. A place where they are welcome. As the number of people struggling on our streets increases, this has put a strain on our library systems. We wanted to know how they were navigating the complexities of this issue. I think you are going to be surprised by what we found out!

On this episode we sit down with Ren and Adam, the co-founders of The Outsiders Inn. 8 years ago Ren and Adam were living in the basement of a house where the owner let them be there for next to nothing. He also allowed them to care for friends struggling through homelessness. This included being okay with tents and several small shelters being built in the backyard and folks living in their cars parked along the street. In those early days, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the city of Vancouver, WA would shut it down.

Tracy and I met 9 years ago when she commented on the Facing Homelessness Facebook page. Her sharing was, you could say, a tour de force of emotional outpouring.

Today I want to revisit that exchange because something important happened, something I believe is available to all of us and provides a path for moving forward when discussing difficult societal issues.