How to ensure no one visits libraries?

[daffodilandtulip]

I took toddler to the library today, to find a handwritten note on the door to say it had moved. We were only here before the holidays!

Anyway, we headed over to the new one, to the children's section. The books are in "troughs" on wheels, and were all pushed into a corner, so you could only get to a couple of sections. There was a huge arrangement of soft toys on top of the books. We started to look at the books, and the librarian rushed over and said "who's moved all the teddies" (they were still on top of the books, just moved around so we could read) so I apologised and asked if it was ok to choose some books or were they still arranging the new area. She said it was fine and the area was finished - but we kept having this bizarre huffing and rushing over to rearrange them if we touched them.

Toddler chose a book and went to sit on the kids playmat, where there were a few sensory type toys. Toddler started to play but everytime she touched anything, we had a repeat of this bizarre huffing and rearranging. Again I asked if it was ok to play, and she said it was

Finally, we gave up when the air con started dropping our heads and that was the end of our library experience.

I mean, it's hardly going to encourage children to read if they can't look at the books or touch anything? It's not a museum. We were being quiet, respectful, appropriate, gentle with the books - all we did was try to actually see the books. I don't get it.

I used to study in the local library while waiting for my father to get back from work after 10-12 hour shifts.
I was out of the house from 6 am till 10 pm. If it was not for the library opened till late how could I study? This was my first year at uni and I had no car, so I had to wait for my dad.
Libraries are a very important facility. I really hope they do not close them.

Wonder if she had set it up for a class or something that was coming later? If not then just bizarre. Libraries should be available to everyone. Our local one runs children's Story Time, evening lectures , Study Groups for teenagers and access to computers , WIFI for people who do not have access at home.

That's bizarre and such a shame! I would definitely give feedback.

I've just discovered our local libraries (very lucky to live in between 2, both within a mile of our house) and been really pleasantly surprised how child friendly they were. I messaged via their Facebook page to give positive feedback about one staff member but didn't get any response though.

I don't like the sound of that at all!

I was out of the house from 6 am till 10 pm. If it was not for the library opened till late how could I study? This was my first year at uni and I had no car, so I had to wait for my dad.
Libraries are a very important facility. I really hope they do not close them.

I don't know how I'd have managed without them. Being able to work there. I'm sorry for the people locally here who don't have that opportunity.

That sounds weird. Our local, village library has all the children's books easily accessible, toys and beanbags, colouring table etc and it's a fun place for the kids to go and read there and then as well as play and take books away.
I would definitely make some 'suggestions' to them.

It’s a crying shame how libraries and the profession of librarianship have declined in this country. I qualified as a librarian back in the 1960s and believed I had a good solid career for life. Unfortunately there were structural changes which meant that my qualifications came to be regarded as “outdated”. There were also LA cuts and a thought process that resources like libraries, art galleries and museums etc were a waste of money and needed to be monetized. In my 40s I attended uni as a mature student . I found that my skills as a librarian had prepared me very well for advanced research. I fell so much in love with academic work that I did a masters and a doctorate. Naturally I had a second career as an academic. Best decision I ever made.

The library where I used to be a librarian is now a trendy drop in center staffed by volunteers. I cant say what its like as I no longer live in that city. If I need a library I travel to the central library in the city or visit my old uni library for which I have automatic access as a graduate.

There's a librarian like this at our library, when she's not there it's fine!

You know I nearly didn't post this thread because I thought no one would believe me, but it seems it's not so rare. That's actually very sad.

Do a feedback on trustpilot and contact the library's dept of your LA

When my one was small (a few years ago now) they had singing and dancing sessions, baby massage, story time, art club and colouring in.

The books need to be fully accessible to all the children. This library isn't.

I'd email your local councillor.

I'm getting the distinct impression that gratuitous ageism is now mandatory at least once in a thread, whatever it's about.

We have a great library which used to be staffed by a fantastic librarian who was really lovely with children ( she left to open her own bookshop). She did mention that one of the problems is many people use the library for events like rhyme time but they come in and don’t borrow books. Im
always banging on about the libraries because they’re a great invention that wouldn’t be funded now if they didn’t already exist.

Sounds like she was a bit precious about her display. Maybe she had just started and was told to set up the children's area and didn't want it moved so she could show the other staff and make a good impression. She won't though because the books should not be covered and it should be child friendly. Most people are volunteers now because the LA have cut funding to libraries and such like.
Luckily round my area there are a number of good libraries with great children's areas and plenty of activities such as story and rhyme time. They do also still have a couple of good librarians employed in the ones in my town. We should be grateful for every volunteer but it is a different experience when you get a proper librarian.

I'm in Ireland and my town just had a brand new library open. Cost millions and its absolutely fantastic. Staff are so lovely and helpful and the children's section has its own floor , huge selection of books and they do story times and arts and craft sessions. Makes me sad to read about the state of so many library's. They are such an amazing resource

I've managed to find a generic library email address for the area, so I've sent a very detailed complaint about my "unwelcoming, disappointing experience" and the "inaccessible books" and the "effect their attitude could have on early years literacy in the area".

I used to be a library assistant in the late seventies/early eighties. I was too young to appreciate it but it was a lovely job. We always had at least one if not two fully qualified librarians on duty and they were highly respected.
This was a small local branch in a suburb of Liverpool.

I work for a library service. We have a separate SM team..basically anyone who works in the actual library ie customer facing, is looked down upon as the lowest of the low. There is a definite divide between those who serve the customers and look after the library and everyone else such as stock team social media team and various managers. I doubt that feedback even got through. Leave a Google review! Which. LA?

I'd be surprised if she was an actual children's librarian (few and far between as they are these days), more likely to be a library assistant or a volunteer, so many libraries these days have had their funding slashed to the absolute bone by the government of 2010 to present it's the only way to keep them open at all.

I'd definitely follow up with a comment though to either the children's librarian (if there still is one) or the Branch Manager (though s/he may have several libraries to look after these days so might not reply immediately). (Disclaimer - I am a librarian, though not in a public or children's library and personally I'd be having polite but firm words with the member of staff concerned. This is, however, in direct opposition to the way my boss handles complaints/comments/suggestions, but that's a whole other cosy crime novel....!)

I wonder if it was set up for a group or school visit happening later and she didn't want to have to redo it. But it's not exactly the way to encourage users. According to Book Trust it was National Teddy Bear day this week so that would fit with the teddys on display.

National Teddy Week possibly does explain the display ... but put them on a rug or a windowsill and let the kids use the books in the library 🤷🏼‍♀️

Our library always has soft toys out, often from stories they are highlighting that week. The children always play with them!

Well, I got a "thank you for your feedback" email so they're obviously not bothered whether children can read books or not.

Well I can't speak for all libraries but when I worked in one, I was the youngest member of staff - at 40. And everyone was female.

Admittedly my nearest library had some younger members of staff and I have also worked in one when I was in sixth form. But it's not a massive overgeneralisation to say that libraries tend to be staffed by women of a certain age - usually because they have husbands who can support them as library work is so poorly paid (in public libraries).

And yes, the idea is to make them difficult to use, reduce opening hours and then say "nobody" uses them and close them. Local authorities come under the category of "understanding the cost of everything and value of nothing".