to think toddler time is a basic part of a library service...

[stella1w]

I think a library should be able to spare someone for 30 mins a week to read stories to toddlers etc as part of their basic service as it helps with pre-literacy etc etc.
Now to help cut the massive council deficit, parents are being asked for a donation (under a headline of CHARGES on the poster) at toddler time.
I'm on unpaid maternity leave and while I will happily just not donate, think it sends out the wrong message to other hardup mums who may just decide not to take their kids along.

Ilovetiffany...and library services should be offering a service, promoting reading by helping DP choose appropriate books for their DC, they should have ( and pass on ) a knowledge of books that most people don't have.

yabu

my mum works as a library assistant at our local library (she can't be a librarian as she doesn't have a degree)

they have just got rid of nearly ALL their librarians, with the library assistants having to take over their roles.

a library is just that. a library. they shouldn't have to put on special events to get people to use it should they? and if they do then they are perfectly within their rights to ask for a donation.

it's people like you that force things like this to stop. with your TAKE TAKE TAKE attitude. really, you don't think the service is even worth a donation???? if they had charged to start with it probably wouldn't have to be stopped now would it?

ffs

"oh woe is me, there are no free things to do with my kid"

kittyfane are you also being asked for a donation for toddler time? has yours been cut too?>

read to your own child.this is a bizarre gripe
you need to take responsibility and promote your own reading routine
and do check out local bookshops they do free children book reading

Lockets...are your replies based on your own experience of using Stella's library? No? Then they must be based on your experience of using your own library then.(?)

Thisisyesterday- yes!

If we are going to keep our library at all (a big if) all of the librarians AND paid assistants will lose their jobs and it will entirely staffed by volunteers. I wonder if you realise the extent of the cuts.

if you went into your library and there was someone reading to a bunch of kids who were only there cos their mums wanted a free morning out... and you wanted to speak to someone at the counter, but there was no-one there because the other member of staff was shelving/finding something/enrolling someone/had to go to the toilet/ was at lunch

would that be a problem?

cos you say there are 2 of them there always chatting... i find that a bit hard to believe. always chatting? never, ever, ever doing anything else?

if not then why don't you ask why they've canned toddler time.

but i think you will find that they have to have a certain number of staff on the desk to help with people who actually have queries or need somehting or want to borrow/return books

i don't think singing to a bunch of kids is really high on their agenda to be fair

Nobody is arguing with the fact that cuts have been made.

Just that they should have no impact on services?

here

It is sad how libraries are experiencing these cutbacks, but like others, I feel the main priority is for the libraries to stay open for reasonable hours and provide a good range of books. It is s good idea for parents to volunteer, either formally or informally.

I suspect some librarians are not in the best of moods because they fear for their jobs and they are constantly being told what services they can/cannot provide, which changes quite often. I'm sure they don't agree with the cuts. Some have to work in several libraries or have their hours reduced, and there may be more to come. I agree that workers in customer-facing jobs should have a positive attitude, but it can't be easy.

I have to say, my local libraries are all very good and the librarians are generally helpful and friendly.

yabu. you'll be lucky if your local branch exists this time next year, let alone runs a free toddler time session!

Thisisyesterday
cos you say there are 2 of them there always chatting... i find that a bit hard to believe. always chatting? never, ever, ever doing anything else?
In the hour I was there last Saturday they sat on stools at the desk, checked a few things in and out and chatted.

I read to my children all the time. But there's a difference between me doing it one-on-one and the library bringing together a group of young children and getting them engaged and excited about their library as a community space.

The staff I see there don't look so overstretched they can't spare half an hour a week to do this.

Yes, there have been massive cuts. But I still think engaging with your users is a basic part of a library's role. And some parents lack confidence to read to their kids and benefit from being part of a group.

Oh well.

Notletting- agree that a lot of librarians feel devalued.

YABU- toddler time is not part of libraries' main role as far as I'm concerned. Library staff don't have time for this, considering how much their staffing has been cut.

OP Yes, there have been massive cuts. But I still think engaging with your users is a basic part of a library's role. And some parents lack confidence to read to their kids and benefit from being part of a group.
Well said.

i won't ask why you were watching them for an hour.

but like i say, why not ask why it has been scrapped if you feel they are not doing anything else?

I think it's very sad that this is happening, because for lots of poor families, storytime at the library is a free way to break up the day, and it's really good for the children. Of course it doesn't replace a parent's responsibility to read to their children, but group reading outside of the home environment does stimulate them in a valuable way. It's hitting children of poor families hardest. Obviously it's not the librarians' fault. Just a real shame.

stella, perhaps you ought to go and work in the library for a day.

to be fair i used to think like you. but since my mum has worked there it's opened my eyes a lot. they do a LOT of work, not all obvious, not all rushing about and hard labour... but they are generally doing stuff.
of course there are times when they're standing around when it's quieter, but i think you will find most libraries require at least one member of staff on a counter all the time (they have other stuff to do if not serving people)

it's easy to look at someone wandering aroundthe shelves, or standing at a desk and think "wow, they're not that busy"
but you wouldn't want to be the person who came in with an enquiry to find that the desk was unmanned because the staff had to do toddler time.
and the books won't put themselves away

thisisyesterday- yes, I was standing there watching them for an hour...(WTF?)
the desk is in the middle of one room... as I walked around the library, they remained seated at their desk.