A Southwest Side Library Has Become A Neighborhood Lifeline

Chicagoans is a first-person account from off the beaten track, as told to Anne Ford. This week’s Chicagoan is Adewole Abioye, West Englewood Branch Library teen-services rep.

“One thing that sometimes makes this work difficult is the lack of parental participation. Kids need support, and a lot of them are sort of dumped here at the library. When I was a kid, I went to the library with my parents, and we would sit there and read together as a family.

“There’s a lack of human compassion in our world. But there are a lot of beautiful, spirited individuals who come here. We have a number of regulars. We have teens and kids who always feel at home, who feel welcome, who feel loved. I want to be someone who’s deeply helpful, and if I can’t help you, I want to lead you to the right resource. Everyone has a story. And we don’t know what their story is. But everyone is dealing with something.”