Dallas bad smell ban sparks row

[emad]

A rule that will allow public libraries in the US city of Dallas to ban people who are considered to smell badly has drawn criticism by charity groups.

Under the guidelines, which come into force in February, sleeping, eating, loud talking, fighting, bare feet, sex and washing will also be banned.

Officials say the moves aim to provide a better environment for library users.

But charity workers say the plans unfairly target Dallas' poor and homeless people.

The rules follow complaints by library patrons over homeless people using the downtown public library for washing in the toilets or loitering outside.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4568348.stm

[emad]

1. Coming from here?

[zbdent]

2. I didn't think freepers

could read . . .

[MadHound]

3. I think that the charity workers have a good point

I mean I can see banning loud talking(it's a library folks), fighting, bare feet, sex and washing. But I've seen several middle class oldsters and sleep deprived students who regularly fall asleep with their head in a book. And while I don't condone a five course dinner in a library, it is fairly common practice for folks to bring in a snack and a drink. And quite frankly I've known several people who bathe daily who still smell bad. Besides, isn't "smelling bad" a pretty relative term? I mean quite frankly I would rather smell somebody with bad BO than somebody who has dumped the whole bottle of perfume or cologne over themselves.

I have to agree, this looks like it is targeting the homeless population. Ban them from begging, ban them from hanging out downtown, ban them from the library, what's next, the final solution?

[Scout1071]

8. Yes, but I think they have a point. Been to a library lately?

The one that I go to on a regular basis is filled with homeless people during the day. They have become a sort of daycare for the homeless.

I'm not trying to be difficult, but it is a little uncomfortable when someone who has recently crapped their pants or hasn't been in a shower in weeks or months pulls up a chair next to your child.

I'm not trying to be cruel to the homeless, I just wish there was an alternative.

[danalytical]

4. I work in a computer lab attached to a library

While it may seem unfair to block so called "smelly" people from a library I can assure you those librarians mean well. If a man comes in looking for help and he happens to smell like rotting sewage, I bet those librarians will do all they can for that man. I've seen it happen.

On the other hand, if a different "smelly" guy comes in and procedes to wash himself in the bathroom, pees all over the floor, takes a nap at a computer station, goes in the break room and eats your sandwhich, and someone's purse is mysteriously missing later that day, well then wouldn't it be nice if the librarian could legally call the cops and ask them to remove this guy the next time he walks in?

Free exchange of information for everybody is their main goal, but it's difficult to do your job when the library turns into a half way house and an easy target for burglary. I live it, and I can easily understand what they are trying to do. I see sleeping medical residents all the time and nobody bothers them. We also have signs all over the place that say no food or drink, but nobody cares if you pull out a snickers and a coffee. But if you come in everyday just for a nap and then pull out a meatball sandwhich and a big gulp, you bet I'm gonna say something.

[HereSince1628]

5. Hidden xenophobia...if you smell like ethnic cooking yer outa there!

[CornField]

6. Hmmmm

I'm not sure how one can dictate which members of the public are allowed to use a public facility. I'm not sure how different banning "smelly people" is from banning "blonde people".

I'll look forward to the court cases to come.

[danalytical]

7. Maybe a simple loitering ban would do the trick

Instead of all these other silly bans. I'm telling you guys, an inner city library will become a crackhead hangout if you don't have some rules. You have to make sure the people that come to the library for legitimate reasons aren't driven away by loiterers with no desire for library services other than a place to use the phone for free and crap on the toilet seat. When nobody but loiterers come to the library, the city figures it doesn't need a library staffed by 5 libraians anymore. Heck they don't need to renew their journal collection at the cost of $500,000 either since nobody uses them. WHo needs archival storage? Why pay for an IT administrator, nobody uses the computers?

[nossaguy]

9. Bad idea

Ban people who smell offensive? This is a very bad idea. How does the library plan on dealing with overweight people who have little control over their offensive odor...or people from cultures that are vastly different from our own??? Or are they ok but the homeless are not??? Isn't that discrimination against the homeless? These people have a right to visit the library. Lawsuit waiting to happen....

[BushOut06]

11. Well, I fart a lot, so I guess that excludes me

[Javaman]

10. Reading is only for the clean...

:banghead: