Public libraries in large Danish cities often serve as shelters for homeless people who hide there to escape the cold, reports Metroxpress.

According to Anders Stagis, the head of Kirkens Korshærs in Aarhus, city shelters are jam-packed these days and libraries play an important role for many homeless people.

“It’s hard to be homeless in the winter,” Ole Brems Larsen, who used to be homeless for 18 years and now works as a vice-chairman at the Danish federation for homeless people SAND, told Metroxpress.

“Many city shelters are full and they [the homeless] use libraries to get warm and find a bit of peace.”

Taking up space
Blågården Library in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen has experienced problems with groups of homeless people taking up space in the facilities.

“Right now we don’t have so many homeless here, but last year some of our users felt uncomfortable because groups of many homeless people would come here and behave improperly,” Christina Midjord, the head of the library, told Metroxpress.

“They would bring in their luggage and fall asleep, making it difficult for others to find a place to sit.”