The library is a good place where people will help you!

On a recent Wednesday evening a senior citizen customer came to the desk. She was trying to find "Calgary Eats" on 17th Ave. and an employee named Lydia. The senior needed to ask Lydia if she could spend the night. Carol S. and I could not locate "Calgary Eats " nor could we locate Lydia (we did have her last name).
Our customer's name was Ethel and she confirmed that she had no place to spend the night. She had gotten confused coming down 44th ave and found the library and decided that the "library was a good place where people would help you"
Ethel told us that she had left her place on 44 street and couldn't return there as it was "too much hassle" and "not a good thing". She was vague about where on 44th she had come from. She was dressed in red sweatpants, two coats, a ball cap and had a small suitcase with her. We asked her if we could help her find a place to spend the night and she agreed.
Carol and I made a some calls to agencies on 17 ave but most were closed for the evening. The Salvation Army didn't take females, the Centre for Hope and the YWCA were full. A call to Calgary 211 confirmed that there were no agencies in the Forest Lawn area that had facilities for over night; they suggested we try the Calgary Drop-in Centre.
Shane answered the phone at the Calgary Drop-in Centre and he suggested Ethel make her way down there. Ethel didn't think she could manage a bus and then a train ride (she had gotten confused coming down 44th ave.) Shane gave us a phone number for "DOAP" a street team connected with CUPS. Roxanne at DOAP was our next contact and she was driving a van and could pick up Ethel in about 30 minutes and take her to the Drop-in Centre providing that Ethel was sober! (she was).
We gave Ethel tea and cookies and she waited by the circ desk. She was grateful for the tea and quickly ate the cookies. Roxanne and her partner picked up Ethel but were unable to get a former address from her or any family members to contact.
Ethel thanked us for everything we had done for her and said she'd see us again! She was smiling when she left.