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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not fill the form out for DD to have her own library card? (trivial)

222 replies

ASorcererIsAWizardSquared · 30/04/2015 22:49

DD (6yo, yr1) is going to the library with her class in a week, we've been sent home a form for them to have their own library card and been asked to fill it out and send it back in time for the trip.

I dont want to fill it out. I dont see the point in a 6yo having their own library card.

I have a library card, as does DH, we can take out up to 16 books on them at a time, the chances of DD ever visiting the library without me or DH are Zero.

AIBU to sent the permission slip back with the words "she doesn't need her own card, both me and her dad have one" on the card application?

OP posts:

IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou · 01/05/2015 16:28

I'm with you OP.

We had one for our youngest & it lasted a month tops before it went in the shredder & we went back to putting books on my card.

It meant I could check & renew books from one account and always knew how many were floating around the house.

You'll probably find the library can justify some funding or somesuch based on the number of registered users.....

muminhants · 01/05/2015 16:29

In some areas they give out library cards at birth. I can't see why you'd object.

Also kids often don't pay fines, or lower fines, than adults do for late returns. If you have 16 books out at a time, and miss a deadline, that's not immaterial.

Northernlurker · 01/05/2015 16:32

Of course newborns like reading and it's about getting in to good habits. I have known parents who actively discouraged people from buying their kids books as 'they don't like them'. I never understand that. But then my mum was propping books up in front of me aged two weeks - and noticed I liked looking at them - so I would say that I suppose.

ragged · 01/05/2015 16:41

I don't understand being bothered about a library card for a newborn, or under about 4yo, even.
But a 6yo (OP has a 6yo) that makes huge sense and helpful I have found.

Chunkymonkey79 · 01/05/2015 17:53

Erm, she is going with school? Sounds like she does in fact need her own, unless you are tagging along with her class every time they go?

What an odd thing to make a fuss over

AliceLidl · 01/05/2015 18:00

"I mean I am a reader don't get me wrong but what do you do, get a book out and place it next to the baby?"

You get a book out and read it to the baby. And show the baby the pictures. And they get to have a cuddle and listen to someone talking to them. And they like it.

Biggles398 · 01/05/2015 18:17

Let her have her own card! She'll love it and I don't know about your library, but children don't get charged at ours if books are overdue, whereas adults are!!
Plus, don't most libraries have holiday schemes where they can get stickers/medals/certificates etc for reading books!

ItsAllKickingOffPru · 01/05/2015 18:17

Membership numbers aren't as important as issue figures and footfall logged by the counters at the door.

30 children joining from a school visit and only 10 maintaining their regular visits will make no difference to the stats needed to keep a library open.

OP takes out childrens' books on an adult card. They will still be logged as JF/JNF Issues.

cardibach · 01/05/2015 18:44

IKnow why did you shred it? Ok, I appreciate you didn't find it useful right then, but I don't get why you would destroy it...

bookishandblondish · 01/05/2015 19:06

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this but libraries have to prove they are attracting specific cohorts - children being one. When my local one was under threat, one of the key factors was children attended but didn't take out books. So their numbers were low in comparison to other libraries.

For the library, it would be beneficial if they registered your daughter as a separate individual.

Mehitabel6 · 01/05/2015 19:12

"i've said its trivial."

So, just fill the form in then.

What can possibly be the problem if you see it as trivial?

TerryTheGreenHorse · 01/05/2015 19:17

I didn't read to my newborns I was much to busy trying to sleep and eating cake.

They ate books until about one.

They love books now.

What would happen if they ate a library book

TwoOddSocks · 02/05/2015 10:07

TerryTheGreenHorse

What would happen if they ate a library book?

I'd be very impressed if your newborn managed to consume an entire library book! If I was reading a baby a book I didn't want chewed I just sat the baby on my lap and held onto the book while I read it so they couldn't chew it. I don't think a kid is going to be permanently put off reading because you didn't read to them in the first three weeks but it's a nice thing to do and most people do like to start reading to kids well before one.

LemonYellowSun · 02/05/2015 10:19

We don't pay fines on children cards nor get fined for any damage so it's worth it

Sixgeese · 02/05/2015 10:51

My DC all got their own cards as babies, in my area at least they look at library funding partly through the number of people with cards.

And I am so happy they have as while my books have never been late, sometimes theirs have.

3luckystars · 02/05/2015 10:53

I am glad you filled it in.
My
friends newborn son had a pocket in his babygro. I remember thinking how stupid and pointless it was for a newborn to have a pocket!

Then I had a son and went on to have another baby, she had pockets in her babygro and I used to hide little surprises in them for her older brother. He actually really thought that she was giving him sweets.

So my point is that sometimes things that seem like pointless shit to adults can make little children happy.

TerryTheGreenHorse · 02/05/2015 13:21

That's sweet. You could also use them to tuck their little library cards in

phlebasconsidered · 02/05/2015 13:37

I wish our local authority didn't fine on kids books. Ours does, at the full rate, and changed it from "no fine" to "massive fine" without telling everyone. Hence, we were on holiday, came back to a thirty quid fine on kids books, and never went to our local library again, as they refused to cut the fine down.

We still all have library cards though, in case they ever change their mind and let us off the fine!

OrlandoWoolf · 02/05/2015 14:42

Our library has the self service scanning machines. DS's idea of entertainment is to see if he can change the background and the language as well.

The library doesn't fine for kids books and you can have up to 20 out.

The most popular book which is always on the reserved list is one of the Minecraft guides

dixiechick1975 · 02/05/2015 14:52

Does she not do the summer reading challenge? My dd has always enjoyed that. She may go again with school or brownies etc. My dd also orders books - she speaks to librarian herself no need for me and my card to get involved.

OinkBalloon · 02/05/2015 15:03

In our area children get free entry to the swimming pool if they show their library card.

smileyfacestar · 04/05/2015 18:31

The library will get another user which will be good for their stats. They need all the help they can get at the moment. Just fill it in.

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