WIBU to leave DD aged 10 in a public library?

[diplodocus]

Next year we will have a clash where both DDs need to be at after school activities in different towns at the same time. We were wondering about dropping DD1 at a public library a few doors down from her activity so she could wait in the children’s section (about 45 mins but I may be able to leave work and join her earlier sometimes) until her activities. She will be year 6 but nearly 11, and would be very happy to do this. We would talk to her about what she should do if anyone made her feel uncomfortable or there was an emergency, and she would have a mobile (although it may take up to about 30 mins for me or DH to get there, which I suppose is my main worry). What do you think? It’s certainly the sort of thing I would have been doing at her age. There are plenty of people in the library at this time.

Cripes. Not sure whether to or at all this.

OP I hope you go ahead! My library is much as you describe yours to be. They are genuinely friendly people and helped me strap my dd back into her buggy when she was tiny. If they were happy to help a dazed and confused mother of a newborn who wasn't even in real trouble from paedophiles and whatnot then I'm sure they'd help your dd if she needed them.

My friend worked in a library in Salford which sounded like the one Dogsdays was at. However I don't think OP is leaving her DD at that one?

I used to go to the local library all the time where I grew up, but then every librarian knew my parents, one of them grew up with my parents, however I wouldn't let my DD be alone in a library in a city.

As for 6 year olds walking home by themselves? My DD's school has a policy that every child must be dropped off and picked up by an adult.

Yep I worked at one (on and off for the ten years that I worked for the library service) that was quite a bit like the one DogDays describes. But the children's section was up the other end of the library from where the more "difficult" members of the public tended to congregate, unaccompanied adults were not allowed into the children's section, and a member of staff was stationed to be able to see into the children's library even when the children's desk itself was not staffed. So even in the most "difficult" branch out of the 14 in the borough it would still be safe to leave a sensible ten year old for 45 minutes.

2nds - I said year 6 children (ie 10 and 11 year olds who are in school year 6 and heading to senior school in September) are walking to and from school on their own. NOT 6 year old children who obviously shouldn't be walking to school on their own. The OP has a year 6 nearly 11 year old.

I've worked in assorted public libraries for 16 years now.
When we catch perverts, and we do, we suspend their accounts, call the police and have them banned. We don't turn a blind eye and give them access to the children's library.
Poor management makes for a poor library service. Good staff and responsible management make for a reasonably safe environment.