for not leaving the library?

[cyanarasamba]

Spent an hour or so in the library yesterday - lovely cool place to be! DS (4) wanted to read the books on Space. DD is 9 months old and was sitting on my knee or the floor looking happily at board books.

She wasn't crawling in anyone's way, pulling books off the shelves or chewing them (amazingly). But she has recently found her voice and was incredibly LOUD. She was shouting, crowing with delight at the pictures, blowing raspberries and having a whale of a time.

I tried a bit of shushing but obviously wasn't going to help much. It's a large open libarary and DD's noise did seem to dominate. Should I have taken them both out rather than disturb everyone else?

and those are the days that many children, families and marganalised members of society never visited them.

libraries are not just a place to borrow books. my local has so much going on for the community I couldnt even list them here. when was the last time you visited a library wellwisher

Oh Wellwisher - join a happy library. I respect my library. In fact every parent I know respects our library. And the local school who visit every week respect it. And all those doing the homework club after school. And all the babies at babysinging time. Our librarian reckons they'd have faced closure if it wasn't for the children and parents in the area who use it and use it well. All that borrowing and joining clubs are stats to the council to prove they are needed. Not just pop in to get a few facts from a reference book or read the local paper for free.

oh and if they are just for borrowing books then no one should be there reading them to get disturbed in the first place as they should also be following your rules and have chosen a book and rushed off home with it.

They do chair aerobics for the over 60's at our library. It's worth a visit when that's on - it's hilarious.

Well, I'm a librarian and I'm thrilled that your DCs were so happy in the library :)

eukalie for begginers is good entertainment at ours.

I'm with wellwisher on this one. I think I'd have found it irritating after a while.

I'm another who think it is fine though I would avoid doing that near exam and dissertation deadlines as many cranky cramming students may be more vocal at complaining.

but irritating things like other peoples noises whilst enjoying thier lives should not be banned or they should not leave a public place. I get irritated a little on market day when the oaps are let on the bus at 9.28, when they shouldnt be allowed on untill 9.30 and take up the seats with thier incesant chatting. I wouldnt complain or expect them to leave because it gets on my nervs a bit, I need to tollerate it.

TBH I'll take an 'irritating' noisy happy child over the abusive drunks, abusive teenagers, abusive 'pushy mums' and abusive racists that we get in our library on a daily basis...

Actually please strike that last message - I've had quite a bad day and am apparantly still bitter about it...

I love seeing a baby or small child enjoying a book for ages... it makes me smile and makes me want to have a baby of my own to take to the library

I was last at the library on Sunday festi :) what is your point?

Screaming with joy when feeding ducks at the park, or seeing a cat in the street, or enjoying being on the bus, is adorable and makes me smile. However, screaming, even happy screaming, is not appropriate in a quiet place, where many people go to read, study, or escape a noisy chaotic home life. And those who think it's acceptable are no doubt the same selfish smug types who let babies/toddlers screech during wedding ceremonies and don't take them outside.

Off to bed now to read my LIBRARY book and pine for the good old days when speaking above a whisper in the library got you a stern look from the nearest librarian...

What can I say, i'd find it irritating. Not the PC term when talking about the adorables, but there goes. One whole hour too.

my point is that libraries are no longer silent stuffy places and if you think they are or should be then you have not been to library for a long time, as I would be surprised if a regular at any library would not have adjusted by now to the philosophy or atmosphire of most if not all community libraries.

Wellwisher, I think you are out of step with modern thinking about libraries. When I shh'd my two in a new library a couple of years ago, the librarian told me off for keeping them quiet, saying we don't want it to be silent in here now, but a community place people can enjoy. They also made it open plan on purpose, not blocking the children off in a small space, so interaction was possible. I don't think screaming and shouting was recommended, but happy babies looking at books is just fine, and it's not just a collection point, no wonder library usage is down.

Anyway, you can't keep babies that age quiet. I remember taking mine to a cathedral service for a wedding, you really could hear a pin drop, so I'd taken lots of small toys to entertain my daughter, who then squealed and laughed at all the great new things...(before I snuck out the back).

I have been in a library recently. I still would prefer some peace and quiet and no screeching. I'll leave the thread now as you can be welcoming & tolerating together and I'd just intrude.

I go to the National Library quite regularly wellwisher - you'd love it! Security all over the place and definitely no noisy children.

I'm off to bed to read my library book too, which I chose whilst leaving my children alone in the children's library! I'm sure they probably giggled while I was gone too...

I doubt YWBU - our library actively encourages the teenies to play & get involved with the books with themed climb ons etc, so if thats anything to go by, in a kids section away from reference etc - I see no problem - sounds sweet if anything :)

Our library has it's reference and heavy duty stuff on different floors. It truly is a mammoth building. The ground floor is given over to fiction and kids. I wouldn't say anybody on that floor would give a toss if the kids were enjoying their books, and the people who use the library for study (reference on floor 1, the local history and music section on floor 2) can't hear it, as they're a floor or two removed from it all.

As other people have said, libraries have had to diversify in order to cling onto their funding and to stay open for all patrons. They can't be unwelcoming and still expect to be given the cash. They have to have more of a community centre feel these days, which in most cases is no bad thing.

No wonder libraries are barely used if they're all as quiet and dull as wellwisher's library sounds. I much prefer a bit of noise!

I think it's nice to see and hear (but I have no kids so do the rose-tinted 'aww' thing. Puke-making, I know. ).