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Original poster

AIBU to question praying and sleeping in the library kids area?

735 replies

sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 20:12

Yesterday I took the kids to the local library (Inverness, scotland). The local library has a kids area. The kids area has a nice artificial grass mat for the kids to sit and read their books on.

When I entered the library there was a man who had folded the kids mat over so he could kneel on the floor and pray to Allah.

Therefore this prevented the kids from sitting on the mat and reading their books.
The man was praying for a while.

I don't have a problem with someone praying if that's what they want to do.

Is it appropriate to be doing it in the kids area in a local library?

Also, there was a woman curled up in the corner of the library sleeping. This was also in the kids area.

I've seen people sleeping in the library on a few occasions now. I've never seen it in the kids' area.

Ofcourse, I feel sorry for her if she's tired, but again is it appropriate to be using the local library, especially the kids area, as a shelter?

I left the library, and told the staff politely, I didn't find it kid friendly.

Was I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
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Original poster
sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 20:59

@ElizabethsTailor Inverness Library has changed a lot since that photo. Exactly it's a big library so why are adults using the kids area, and moving the kids furniture to pray

OP posts:
fashionqueen0123 · 13/03/2026 20:59

A single man in the kids section? I would tell the staff. Why would he need to go there out of the whole library.

I’ve never seen anyone sleeping in a library in my life but I live in an affluent area and all homeless people are known to the council.

Id ask the staff to move them out of the kids area though. Plus surely it’s noisy there?! Our has rhyme time etc and kids banging away on instruments !

TheFrendo · 13/03/2026 20:57

The bloke was performing a dominance display.

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 13/03/2026 20:56

Blueharmonica · 13/03/2026 20:52

What utter nonsense, this was a deliberate provocation in an attempt to intimidate.

Show quote history

I did not mean to wander in on a deliberate goad. I don’t know Inverness library specifically
[Still like my idea though]

Ohfuckrucksack · 13/03/2026 20:56

Both sleeper and person praying should be moved on.

Children's area in library is not the right place for them to be.

Staff should be managing this.

catipuss · 13/03/2026 20:54

The man praying in the kids area I would tell to move or get the staff to move. The woman sleeping I would guess is homeless so I would leave alone.

Tacohill · 13/03/2026 20:53

Adults should not be allowed in the kid section without kids, regardless of what they’re doing.

I would speak to the staff and ask them to put a sign up saying they’ll be asked to leave if in their without a child.

I am surprised by the man praying in such a public space and I’m surprised he didn’t go to a church or somewhere more private and quiet like many Muslims do.

But I’m not surprised by the woman sleeping.
Many homeless people use the library as a safe, warm place to go and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

I had a home but was broke and couldn’t afford electricity or the internet, so everyday I’d take my DC to the library and I’d charge my phone and use the free 30mins on the internet to send emails and look for jobs and my DC would play and read books, all whilst being warm and safe.
The library was an absolute lifeline for us.

Blueharmonica · 13/03/2026 20:52

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 13/03/2026 20:50

You could say religious types should have prayer rooms: of course they used to have publicly open churches at one time, my mum when young was annoyed that churches had to be locked up these days (or those days, in the 70s/ 80s). Some sort of public prayer space would be a good call for minority groups, like they have in hospitals or unis.

We could do a lot with the concept of community spaces, if only there was still funding and outreach for them. It’s a shame Britain’s all about money now, not citizenship, democracy etc.

Edited

What utter nonsense, this was a deliberate provocation in an attempt to intimidate.

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 13/03/2026 20:50

You could say religious types should have prayer rooms: of course they used to have publicly open churches at one time, my mum when young was annoyed that churches had to be locked up these days (or those days, in the 70s/ 80s). Some sort of public prayer space would be a good call for minority groups, like they have in hospitals or unis.

We could do a lot with the concept of community spaces, if only there was still funding and outreach for them. It’s a shame Britain’s all about money now, not citizenship, democracy etc.

Original poster
sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 20:47

@Creepybookworm most occasions I have went into this library there has been people sleeping. Without sounding judgemental a lot of them look like drug users. Again, I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have somewhere to sleep, but the library isn't a shelter. The health visitor encourages mums to take their children to the library for learning. I felt more like a shelter then a library. I don't feel safe. Again the body odour was horrendous. People sleeping with their shoes and socks off.

OP posts:
ScholesPanda · 13/03/2026 20:43

Is the prayer thing a regular occurrence? It might bother me if people were going in and doing that in large groups regularly, but if it was a one off I'd probably just chalk it up as a bit odd.

Libraries have attracted down and outs since time began. They're free to access and warm. Some councils have now designated them as warm spaces as well as libraries. Perhaps the library need some seating outside the kids section for this purpose.

Sunshineandoranges · 13/03/2026 20:42

sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 20:37

@tonyhawks23 I didn't say their was anything wrong with prayers and rest. I just think their is a time and a place for it. I don't think a children's area is appropriate. It should be available for the kids. Their reading space shouldn't be restricted due to adults wanting to sleep and pray on the floor

I agree with you. Childrens space for children

ElizabethsTailor · 13/03/2026 20:42

Inverness library? How odd. The children’s area is enormous. How did one person praying physically prevent children from using it.

AIBU to question praying and sleeping in the library kids area?
Creepybookworm · 13/03/2026 20:37

I work in a public library. Don't know if it's the same in Scotland but sleeping is officially not allowed. We turn a blind eye if someone nods off on a chair but absolutely no to curling up on the floor. Also would move them on if doing anything in the children's area with no kid. Might have offered him the use of a side room.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 13/03/2026 20:37

tonyhawks23 · 13/03/2026 20:29

I don't get why it's inappropriate?what's wrong with prayers and rest?

Nothing.

But any adult blocking shelves and taking up space in the child’s section is simply rude. Whether they’re praying, sleeping, scrolling on their phone, reading their own book while sitting in the way.

Actually blocking shelves in the adult section would also be rude.

TY78910 · 13/03/2026 20:37

JaneBoleyn · 13/03/2026 20:35

You make a fair point.

I suppose my gut is very uncomfortable with disturbing anyone at prayer. Offering him another quiet spot would be more suitable, you are right.

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We also don’t know if that wasn’t the spot he was actually offered. A lot of assumption here that he chose to place himself there as opposed to any other corner of the library.

Original poster
sunshine240778474 · 13/03/2026 20:37

@tonyhawks23 I didn't say their was anything wrong with prayers and rest. I just think their is a time and a place for it. I don't think a children's area is appropriate. It should be available for the kids. Their reading space shouldn't be restricted due to adults wanting to sleep and pray on the floor

OP posts:
Blueharmonica · 13/03/2026 20:36

It’s a deliberate provocation.

JaneBoleyn · 13/03/2026 20:35

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 13/03/2026 20:29

That means everyone has to share the public space and make it accessible to everyone. It’s not appropriate to take over a portion for religious pursuits, especially not in the kids section. It always annoys me when special interest groups think ‘everyone being welcomed’ means they can block a public area off and claim it for themselves. That’s not what public means at all.

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You make a fair point.

I suppose my gut is very uncomfortable with disturbing anyone at prayer. Offering him another quiet spot would be more suitable, you are right.

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 13/03/2026 20:35

Yes, it would. FWIW I was thinking of Sure start groups blocking the library off, yes I know they were a good group but still, other people should have access to public space too.

Revoltingpheasants · 13/03/2026 20:34

I think praying YANBU.

sleeping - that’s just sad, the children’s part was probably warmest Sad

NorthFaceofthelaundrypile · 13/03/2026 20:34

Surely he’d be done within minutes?

feelingutterlyhopeless · 13/03/2026 20:34

Oh here we go.

TY78910 · 13/03/2026 20:33

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 13/03/2026 20:29

That means everyone has to share the public space and make it accessible to everyone. It’s not appropriate to take over a portion for religious pursuits, especially not in the kids section. It always annoys me when special interest groups think ‘everyone being welcomed’ means they can block a public area off and claim it for themselves. That’s not what public means at all.

Show quote history

As long as that would also extend to someone sitting down with their eyes closed whispering their Hail Marys twiddling with their rosemary beads.

aWeeCornishPastie · 13/03/2026 20:33

No it’s not ok

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