Anonymous Patron writes “A South Carollina article from the Camden Chronicle Independent reports The Kershaw County Library deals with 30 to 40 middle school students with no place to go between the time school is out and the time their parents come home from work every day.
While many of the children are respectful of the library and the people who use it, the staff said, a growing number of them are not. Neighboring businesses and property owners have also complained of the noise the children make as they gather on the library grounds. The library staff said patrons trying to read or study are often disturbed by boisterous, loud, talkative children inside the library. Magazines and other library properties are ripped, defaced and destroyed, they said.
While staff of the public library said they don`t want to turn away school children from the library`s doors, they come to what they said is an unavoidable conclusion: The library is not a day care.”
Amen
Things are tough all over…
We have the same problem. Usually what happens is that the assistant director, an imposing guy, really, watches out the window until the parents of the children we’ve forcibly ejected from the library arrives to pick them. Then he comes out, and states plainly, “We’re not a day care.”
I really wish parents knew some of the other patrons that frequent the library with their kids… the level 3s, the guys that talk about the person they planned to kill but got off attempted murder charges because they aren’t mentally competent… Day care is a safe place to leave your kids. After school programs are a safe place to leave your kids. The library is not.
Problem at many public libraries
I used to work at a publiuc library across the street from a high school. We had the same type of problem. The main way it was kept in check was having a person whoose job was to keep the kids in line. He wasn’t afraid to tell the kids to behave or get out. It is a tough situation because you don’t want the parents to get angry at the library, but if you let the kids take run of the place, the library loses all ability to function.
Latchkey kids
We have the same problem at our public library. It is difficult to balance monitoring the activities of latchkey kids–some are actually using the computers for homework–while others are instant messaging each other from across the table. We also want kids to feel welcome in the library–yet when they get out of control we ask them to leave. Then there is the problem of damaging computers while trying to modify the set-up for personal use, which results in a longer suspension from library use. I think what it really boils down to is: it’s an economic problem. Isn’t everything? Two parent families have to work two jobs, so there is nobody home after school. Single parents are not home. Children who come from families (whether both parents work or not–this is not a value judgement of working parents)that can afford computers go home and IM from their own computers & can access Internet information for homework. Those who can’t afford computers use the ones at their public library for homework and recreation. The schools now require homework that demands use of the Internet for research–and many kids, unfortunately, think this is the only source of information–unless we & school librarians set them straight. They are also required by teachers to submit work that has been typed using a word processor. If this is a requirement than schools need to let students complete assignments at school, provide laptops, or allow handwritten reports. But schools are also under a budget crunch. Kids also have nowhere else to go–and parents do see the library as a safe environment. We can’t, however, guarantee that it is. Regardless of how many times we warn teens they still chat on-line and give out personal information to people they do not know. We try to provide after-school activities for kids–and some take advantage of the opportunity. Others simply take advantage and ruin the experience for others. We even had a parent come in to the library and go off on another child for allegedly stealing her son’s Yu-Gi-Oh cards after one of our monthly after-school Yu-Gi-Oh card programs. The police had to be called in! We have adults get upset with us when we won’t page and search for their children–even when we explain that this a safety issue. It could be a non-custodial parent, a stalker, an irrate boyfriend or girlfriend, etc. trying to track down their child. Every day is different–while trying to provide quality service to all patrons. The library is a microcosm of the larger community. I don’t have a solution–just a comment that we all are seeing the same problem and are doing the best we can with limited budgets, staff and resources. Maybe the Gates Foundation could provide child-care funding along with those computer grants?
Other Problems
My public library is an adult day-care center for bums.
Re:Other Problems
Have you contemplated a career change? It could help your situation.