Unattended kids raise issues

gypsy librarian says:

Unattended children
This has nothing to do with whether the library is caring for its users or not. Unattended children are that, unattended. And that is a reflection of neglect on the part of the parent, not to mention a possible liability issue for the library if something were to happen to that child (by child I mean that, a child. Young adults are a different issue, and likely can fend for themselves better). That many libraries provide excellent programs for children is commendable and admirable, but it does not mean the library is a day care center (that is a different institution actually licensed to provide child care). In a way, I am concerned so many people are so ready to leave their children in a library without supervision given all the stories in the news of child molesters and so on. How easy could it be if one of those perverts, who can be very charming, came to one of those unattended children, tricked them into going with them, and then something happened? There is a reason why libraries institute policies for calling social services or the police if they notice a child unattended. It is not because a library does not care about serving some of their patrons, but actually because they do care. Parents should have enough responsibility to provide good care for their children, regardless of how much they have to work. Children are not just to be dumped anywhere. And much of the library profession can debate all they want about what to do with such children, whether to provide more or less in terms of services. But in the end, it is simple, they are unattended children, namely without an adult responsible for them, and we are librarians, not baby sitters. Let them be responsible and do their jobs, and we will be more than happy to do our part.