I’m really embarrassed to ask but..

[MyMabel]

How do libraries work? (Feel free to cringe as much as I did at that question)

I haven’t been to a library since I was a really small child, probably 5/6 years old. I now have a toddler DD and our local library have just had a renovated child area that looks so lovely I really want to take DD, she adores books.

I suffer from quite severe anxiety and social phobia, I’m constant terrified I’m going to make a tit of myself. - I don’t want this to hinder DD’s enjoyment, so I want to take her but I’m unsure of library etiquette and because of my anxiety I need to be ‘prepared’ and know what I’m doing and what to ask for.

• Can we just go into the library, sit in the child area and read books - or are there sessions/need payment ect?

• do library cards still exist.. or is it something like an online account now? I’d love to take out books for DD to bring home so we can read different books before bed (we’ve tired out all of her books and I can remember each story off by heart now.. we need new material!)

• is there a limit on how many books we can take out at a time, and for how long?

• how much roughly does it cost to take out books/get a card/membership?

Sorry to ask such stupid questions that I could easily just ask the people who work on the library, I’ll just be too embarrassed to ask when we get there 🙈

Definitely look on your local council website, all the info will be there. You might even be able to join online.

Sadly opening hours are much shorter than they used to be, due to cutbacks, but if you can get to a town library rather than a village or suburban one, it should be open for a few hours most days.

It's also worth googling if you have any Little Free Libraries where you are. These are often in old telephone boxes, or a custom built box and you can just borrow books from these. They're also a good place to donate any books you no longer want.

This is just wonderful that you are looking to join a library with your toddler they are such brilliant resources and we often find out about things on locally at our library.

Have a look on your councils website just search for your councils name and libraries and there should be information.

In ours you just need proof of address to join. We get a plastic library card credit card sized which is free at first then if you lose it its £1 for a replacement. We also get a keyring tag which is really handy. We can get 20 books at a time plus there are cd audiobooks which my children like and DVDs but there is a small charge for DVDs. You can keep them for 3 weeks and can renew online. There is a number on the card and you set up your own password and you can access your online account. You can also get e books through the online account aswell. You can also reserve books eg to be sent from another library free of charge but in ours it takes around 10 days.

You can absolutely sit and browse lots of people do. Our library is asking for masks at the moment though. There also maybe some drinks facilities etc ours has a cafe but some have nothing it just depends. The children section is often away from the adults so no need to worry about noise.

Ours has toddler rhymetime once week which is lovely but we need to book. All free and great for little ones we go most weeks then get books out after.

Hope you have a lovely time OP!

Also with ours and it might be the same at yours, you become a member of the council's libraries not just your own so we can travel anywhere in our county and take books out from there. Of course all libraries are open to all you can visit any you like but in terms of taking books home we can use our whole county. We sometimes take a trip to another village in our county and use the library there as they have different children's books to ours and there is a little playground at the back. You don't need to take them back to the same library you got them from. It might be similar in your area

Oh yes, a noisy toddler didn’t cross my mind! Hopefully she won’t be too much of a disturbance to anyone. I can imagine it’s to be expected though in the children area

Ahhh this brings me back, I used to love going to the library when DD was little.
Just go in and ask at the desk "Hi, could you tell me how to join the library?" take some ID with you, I'd bet my bottom dollar they'll be very helpful and it will be as easy as pie, go for it op

OP

I hope you never need to use it but there is also a thing called a 'mobile library' where books are brought to your house.

Also libraries have computers that are normally free for an hour or so and most take daily newspapers so you can read those too (well in theory, your toddler may have other ideas)

Oh and a bit of trivia, in the depression of 1920s people who couldn't afford to heat their homes went to libraries because they were warm and would spend the day there, and as there wasn't much talking people read.

No one knows how this contributed to the politics of the day but it probably did.