Murray Carter, 56, is living a life without luxury. He's out of work. He sleeps at the Weingart Center on skid row.
He's hoping for a job as a cook. He needs to go online to find one. But he's worlds away from affording either a computer or Internet access.
Well before the Central Library opens at 10 a.m., Carter waits out front to get in and grab a computer terminal.
Toni Albert, 23, of East L.A. takes night nursing classes at community college. Her mom helps by looking after her baby. But Albert also needs a computer and one's out of reach for now. So she waits, too, holding 7-month-old Zariyah to her chest.
A few years ago, L.A.'s libraries cut their hours — hit, like everywhere else, by budget cuts.
To those clinging to the 73 branches as lifelines and safe houses, the cuts were crushing blows.
