Wrapped in a puffy jacket and beanie, Ron Ames lounged in a chair on the fourth floor of the downtown Denver Public Library and looked out a window at the swirling snow. A duffel bag full of his possessions sat at his feet.

He was glad to have shelter from the record cold on Wednesday, but he wished there were more options for those on the streets, like himself.

“I’m here to get out of the cold today because there aren’t a lot of other choices,” he said. “There’s nowhere. The police are chasing the homeless out of transit centers and other warm places. It’s not right.”

Denver’s high temperature climbed to a meager 6 degrees, breaking the 98-year-old record for the coldest high on the date — 9 degrees in 1916, said National Weather Service meteorologist Lisa Kriederman.

Wednesday night, the falling temperatures easily broke the record low of minus 4 set in 1882 and were expected to fall to minus 14 by midnight.

Thursday’s low is expected to be another record. Thursday’s high is predicted to be 16 degrees.

As shelters reach capacity and temperatures plummet, public places like the library become a life saver, said Chris Henning, a Denver Public Library spokesman.

Henning said the library sees about 20 to 50 homeless people on an average day and “easily another 50” during extreme weather.

“On any given day, you can see them lined up outside before we open, waiting to come in,” he said.

Henning said the library does not prevent or deter homeless from gathering. Staff try to engage them with computers, televisions and reading material.

Hubb Crutchfield, a library security officer, said as long as the homeless are sober and awake, they can stay.

“Some people who come in on days like this say the reason they’re here is because they don’t want to die,” he said.

Scott Reed, Denver’s Regional Transportation District spokesman, said it’s not RTD’s job to house the homeless at its facilities.

“We don’t have any policies, specifically, about people who appear to be homeless,” he said. “We ask people to leave who are loitering. People are there to catch our service. If they’re there for a different purpose, that’s loitering.”

Bette Iacino , Colorado Coalition for the Homeless spokeswoman, said the existing shelter system is not meeting the needs of men, women and children.

“All the shelters are functioning at capacity,” Iacino said. “Everything is at capacity, especially providing shelter to women.”

Leslie Foster, president of The Gathering Place shelter, said The Women’s Emergency Shelter, at 1370 Elati St., sheltered 77 women Tuesday night, with a capacity of 57.

Foster said two women with serious, chronic mental health issues slept outside in The Gathering Place’s parking lot Tuesday night because the shelter was full.

“We continue to struggle today with finding any kind of available overnight shelter that they can or will utilize,” Foster said.

According to the Denver Department of Human Services, more than 1,380 people were expected to be sheltered in facilities across Denver Wednesday night with 32 additional homeless being put up in hotels.

“These numbers clearly show that time and time again, our community pulls together in an emergent situation to ensure everyone has a warm place to sleep,” said Julie Smith, spokeswoman for the department.

Iacino said the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is seeking donations for sleeping bags, socks, blankets and other warm gear.

Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223, ehernandez @denverpost.com or twitter.com/ehernandez