Libraries across Australia are safe havens for vulnerable people – so some are hiring social workers to help

Lizzie Flaherty is the first social worker employed at a library in South Australia. She says libraries have ‘always been a safe space’ for her. Photograph: City of Salisbury

Lizzie Flaherty works in a library, but she’s not a librarian. Flaherty has an unusual role: she is the first library social worker employed in South Australia.

Australia’s 1,700-odd public libraries offer much more than books. Inside, people find refuge, connections (both human and internet), and a free space open to everyone.