It certainly does look like a parlor palm with spiderrmites and some stem rot.

Water is not going to resolve the spidermites; get a miticide and use it every 4 days for 20 days.

Water the plant less, and hopefully the rotting will subside.

Also compare to C. cataractarum (cat palm). Either way, they should be fine leaning, but could get sunburned outside if not used to that much light.

Thanks iochroma and Tiffany! This plant has only been outside for the past five days (propped up against my steps on the north side of my house in constant deep shade). It has other wise spent its entire life inside the library where I work and where it hasn't been watered very regularly. The spider mites came in on some hibiscus which a volunteer wintered over here (against my will).

Are the roots supposed to be exposed like that? Should I top dress and cover them?

Bring it back inside.

Alternately, toss it into the compost.

I live in Massachusetts so if I DON'T bring it back inside it'll definitely be compost by next spring.

In my experience the presence of mites is an identification character for parlor palm. Even ones that are the only plants inside a bank or cafe will have immediately apparent infestations. Often so bad that they are partly brown.

That was part of why I thought it was a parlor palm. But the look of the base of the stalks seems so different to what I've seen on parlor palms - more of a cluster of fronds than a proper stalk and I can't find anywhere online that describes the specific morphology of these plants...

As others have said, they plant many seedlings in the same pot to give the appearance of a full plant.

That is such a crappy looking plant, I would just put it in the compost.

Well, we've had it here in the Library for nearly 15 years and grew it from a tiny plant. When I throw things out (or just remove them from the general population for care) patrons freak out. They are attached to seeing the same plants! Plus I'm interested to see if I can bring it back (just for the education of it). It's a big building so there's no trouble keeping it isolated from the rest of the plant population, no spreading the mites isn't as big a risk as it would be at home.

I don't think it looks crappy.

Clean it up. Pull all the brown old fronds off. Add some potting soil to cover the palm bases. Give it some fert. Treat with a spray or regular water sprays for mites. It should improve.

Luckily there are no old brown fronds - that hasn't been a problem (other than the occasional finally just got old fronds through the years).

I think he meant the stumps of the leaves that are no longer there. They are easiest to peel, rather than pull. Loosen one side/corner of the lowest stump, then peel it sideways across the trunk and it should come off cleanly. They are easier if you do them in order, starting at the bottom.

My pleasure! I've always preferred my palms that way, peeled, but not everyone does.