Last summer, the downtown branch of the Austin Public Library was Steven Potter’s oasis. It’s where he went on some of the hottest days of the year, soaking in the air conditioning and filling up his two-liter water bottles. Potter, who has lived on the street in Austin for about 10 years, said public libraries are some of the most popular places for unsheltered residents to go during the day when the heat gets unbearable.
“The night is when things get a little questionable,” Potter said.
At the time, Potter would often sleep on benches. Water was his saving grace then—he would use it to stay hydrated, and on nights when he couldn’t find a place to sleep that had any airflow, he’d get up every now and then to splash water on himself or soak his shirt. Anything to keep his body temperature down.
