This is the normal idea right? You go to the library because it is quiet.
You go because people will leave you alone.
You go because it’s the one place your kids HAVE to be quiet.
As much as I would love to agree with you on this point, this has changed drastically over time.
The library is no longer a place for silence. Libraries have morphed into acting as community centers on many occasions. Recently I had 4 different families in our small children’s area on a Friday morning. Kids were running, some were on computers, mothers were chatting, and there was the occasional crying. This is a typical Friday morning for me.
But on top of that, most people no longer even attempt to be quiet in my Children’s Section. Sometimes it would be nice to at least have a parent attempt to keep their child from running amuck.
So a few guidelines would not go amiss: so here are a few tips to help your librarian not feel like she needs to go to the back and sniff her Peace And Calming essential oils!
- As much as we want you and your kids to enjoy yourselves, be conscious of the fact that this is not your home. Food is not allowed in my library. There is a sign on the front door and people are still upset with me when I ask them not have food in the library. I’m not being mean and it’s not that I don’t want you to enjoy yourselves, but Cheeto hands on the books is not my favorite thing.
- Please watch your children. It’s actually not my job to babysit your kids. I may be helping check out a patron and have more in line- it’s not feasible for me to jump over the counter to stop your three year old from wandering out the door because you are playing Candy Crush on your phone. I am happy to interact with your kids, but my job is not free babysitting.
- If your child is pulling tons of books of the shelf that you are not going to check out saying something along the lines of “That’s okay sweetie. I’m sure the librarian would be happy to reshelve those. You just keep pulling out books” is not the way to get on my good side. I understand that kids are going to pull books off shelves. I understand that you are not going to check out every book that your child puts in your pile, but please don’t encourage them to pull books off the shelf for the fun of it.
- If you ask me to help you find WWII books and I find you all the ones we have in the department, don’t go to the other person working in the department and ask them to look for you also. I only found four books in the catalog that are set in WWII that are at the reading level you want because we only have four. The other librarian can look also, but she is going to get the same results I do.
- And finally, please respect the fact that this is still a library. Just because it’s the children’s department doesn’t mean that we don’t need some semblance of order. We are happy to have your children, but shouting and screaming would be something to address with your children instead of just ignoring it.
That’s it. 5 simple things that can make your life, your librarian’s life, and the life of the other patrons much happier while at the library. Please keep coming in! Please keep checking out books, just please be conscientious of the others at the library while you are here.
Keep Sparkling
-B
The Sparkling Librarian 