Rachel Scheier writes: “As public buildings, often with long hours, libraries have become orderly havens for people with nowhere else to go. In recent years, amid unrelenting demand for safety-net services, libraries have been asked by community leaders to formalize that role, expanding beyond books and computers to providing on-site outreach and support for people living on the streets. Librarians, in turn, have been called on to play the role of welfare workers, first responders, therapists, and security guards.”