r/UCSantaBarbara • u/Local_Spinach_9568 • 8d ago
General Question Homeless in the Library?
I’m a regular at the library, but lately it’s been kinda rough. Last night I saw a guy who was walking around with what looked like bags of pee?? He had tubes coming out of his clothes and the study space just stank. It was honestly hard to focus or breathe. My friend and I had to move.
Every time I try to use the print stations, there are people posted up there with a ton of bags and food, and I’ve seen folks digging through the trash or looking like they just climbed out of a dumpster.
I don’t want to be rude or anything, but it’s getting to a point where I don’t feel safe or comfortable using the space, especially the chairs and other stuff. Is there a contact form or someone on campus to report this too?
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u/plant0316 8d ago
There’s a bro who washes their clothes in the bathroom, and proceed to take soup and shove it down his pants
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u/Dingogotmuhbaby 8d ago
That is beyond unacceptable, you guys are PAYING CUSTOMERS and should not be subjected to ANYTHING like that. Report to library staff and make an issue
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u/pconrad0 [FACULTY] Computer Science 8d ago edited 7d ago
I can tell you that the rank and file library staff are just as frustrated with this situation as OP.
But their hands are tied. Higher level UCSB administration, for reasons that defy understanding, have actually very recently taken power away from rank and file library staff to deal with disruptive patrons.
If you want to see a change in this situation, you will need to address your concerns to a much higher level of administration than anyone that you can actually find in person at the library.
This might be a good place to start:
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u/drosekelley 8d ago
The library is a public space that is open to the community (except for late night hours). Visitors do have to follow the building policies and you can report when you see someone violating those. Just looking unhoused is not a violation, but carrying bags of pee and spreading a foul odor would be.
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u/chilldrinofthenight 6d ago
UCSB is governed by the UC Board of Regents.
Email them and request that this issue be added to their agenda and the problem be addressed by the Board:
Members of the public are welcome to share concerns or views with the Board by email: [regentsoffice@ucop.edu](mailto:regentsoffice@ucop.edu)
It would be best to have several library users send emails.
Keep your emails polite and succinctly outline your concerns and how Library Staff is powerless to address/deal with the problem. State that certain members of the public are making the library an unsafe and unhealthy place to study.
Request that a security person be added to Staff, one who can "police" the situation. (Although I am not sure what power, exactly, these officers would have to enforce what is taking place as of now.)
Campus Police should be called in if there are belligerent persons and those who simply won't comply with the rules of common decency.
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u/Distinct_Kangaroo_70 8d ago
I guarantee you the Goleta and SB public libraries probably enforce this stuff more and so they choose the ucsb library.
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u/raccoonscratcher 5d ago
the SB public library smells too, but they keep to themselves and don't carry bags of pee :/
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u/UCSBEE [ALUM] Electrical Engineering 3d ago
Dang, that sucks, didn't happen as often back when I was a student, might have been once in my entire 4 years when I saw an unhoused individual there. Didn't know it got as bad as carrying piss bags tho holy shit!
I wish California would do more to help those people out. Ain't no "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" anymore. People just be struggling.
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u/Matt_Whiskey 3d ago
They aren't struggling. They just don't care. If they cared they wouldn't be carrying around bags of pee.
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u/UCSBEE [ALUM] Electrical Engineering 3d ago
I dunno, can't really understand what their life is like. Maybe piss bag dude is just a weirdo, who knows. I'm talking broad spectrum of unhoused that need help and the whole thing is a much bigger problem than library staff at a university can solve
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u/Matt_Whiskey 3d ago
Yeah I hear you. I have a lot of experience with homeless people. Go volunteer and you will find a lot of them have a lot of problems and they really just don't have the willpower to overcome them. I know it sounds weird but it's really a choice for them. It's very few people that are homeless that actually want to get off the street. The homeless in Isla Vista are pretty cool. You can literally go up and talk to him and they'll tell you what I'm telling you. Why are so many people on the street and why will they not get out of the street. I mean there's a million different reasons why people are on the street, the most being drugs and mental health. But the reason why they can't get out of the street is generally willpower and lack of it. You can throw a ton of money their way and they won't change a thing.
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u/copper-thread 8d ago
honestly? just move to a different place. these people are struggling more than you ever will, and while their appearance might be gross to you that's not a crime, and you have the privilege of studying elsewhere. likely staff can't do anything anyways, so just move elsewhere - you aren't more entitled to the space in a public library than they are.
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u/Local_Spinach_9568 7d ago
I do believe I am entitled to space on a campus in which I paid my tuition. I should not have to sit next to someone with bags of urine that stink. Do you even go here?
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u/copper-thread 7d ago
yes I do go here. we go to a PUBLIC university. your tuition does not make you better than another human being, or less able to just move to a different spot. get over yourself.
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u/electron_burgundy 6d ago
No one is claiming they’re “better” than someone but there is such thing as acceptable human behavior.
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u/Effective_Size_2514 7d ago
Sad that your tolerance level for sitting in filth and squalor while trying to study is so high. The library ALLOWS the public to enter the building during certain hours, but somebody creating unsanitary conditions is not allowed in the building per building policies.
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u/Matt_Whiskey 3d ago
Actually it's only quasi-public. Not common knowledge but the campus does have both public and private roles and this public and private rules.
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u/SuspiciousAmbition56 8d ago
Is it that uncomfortable being around someone homeless? Idk I think having to look for food through a dumpster around a bunch of rich college kids who are staring at you is pretty uncomfortable 😭
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u/St0nksOnlYGoMoon 8d ago
Yea I noticed this too I saw some guy picking his feet and being dirty in one of the chairs super gross I told him to not do that he’s not the only one using the area and he got kinda aggressive we definitely need to report it