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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed that the library turned into a kids play area?

175 replies

Camdenlife33 · 10/04/2018 10:36

My local library went under some renovations and has finally reopened. It’s a small library and the renovations seem to be an addition of a ‘little ones’ cafe and play area.

The only floor of the library, and so the only area with seating/computers, is now shared with a kids cafe and play area. It’s open plan, so the kids area is seconds away from the ‘quietest area’ of the library. The library is filled with under 5s shouting and darting around. It isn’t a general murmur of background noise, it’s actual screams/shrieks and kids running around and playing IN the library. I’m sure you can imagine what 30+ toddlers together in a play area sounds like - I thought I was at the wrong place.

I genuinely can’t focus. I’m in 3rd year uni and I came to the library to work on my dissertation before work. AIBU to find this unacceptable? It’s strange as there is both a university and a level college in walking distance to this library - I wonder why they didn’t take their visitors who would like to work/study/read in peace into account, and instead essentially turned the library into a kids play building.

(I have already left the library btw)

OP posts:
TomRavenscroft · 10/04/2018 11:13

Public libraries have to survive. If they can get children and parents in, that can be a great source of circulation statistics - generally those that come in regularly for an organised session will also borrow a few books each time. This is also a great way of getting children into the habit of visiting a library and promoting literacy.

I agree with all this.

BUT libraries are also meant to be for people who are lacking things like a quiet space at home, access to a quieter library like a uni one and a computer, to work, study, apply for jobs...

It is a sad indictment of the state of public funding and what our government and we as a society think is valuable when a library can't offer a quiet space.

kaytee87 · 10/04/2018 11:13

And to hell with people trying to study or read in peace eh?  Which was the original idea of the sodding library!!!

Well these people should make more of an effort to keep the libraries open then shouldn't they.

Nice to call children 'little shits' btw, you sound really pleasant.

boredofwaitingagain · 10/04/2018 11:13

You are very ignorant and seemingly totally unaware of the closure risk to libraries generally. The only way they are going to survive is by diversifying.
As others have said if you need peace and quiet try your uni library or your own kitchen table.

Tosh about a library is a library so therefore should be silent. It just doesn't need to be and given they have opened a cafe those in charge of the library obviously don't think so either.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 10/04/2018 11:14

YetAnotherSpartacus, or those who have to hit targets in order to receive benefits. Many do not have internet access and so rely on library computers to job search

Yes of course - these people too.

ParisUSM · 10/04/2018 11:14

Running around a library shrieking will not instill a love of books and reading.

I think I might put that up on my library wall - sounds catchy :)

VioletCharlotte · 10/04/2018 11:15

YANBU. You should reasonably be able to expect a library to be quiet enough to work in. I understand libraries need to make lonely to cover their costs, but they need to find ways to encourage families in, without making it impossible to use them for the purpose they're intended!

Unfortunately most people probably won't agree as these days everything seems to centre around children and letting them to do whatever their like.

diddl · 10/04/2018 11:17

"Running around a library shrieking will not instill a love of books and reading."

That's what I was thinking!

Are the parents/kids looking at or taking out books or just letting the kids play?

twilightcafe · 10/04/2018 11:18

YABU.

Libraries have to get as many people through the door as possible. Your need for a quiet space (in a public area) doesn't trump the requirements of anyone else.

There must be some times when there are fewer children in the library.
Get some noise cancelling headphones. And practise your death stare. Grin

ParisUSM · 10/04/2018 11:19

@boredofwaitingagain This is not the way to ensure libraries survive, libraries need to remain a learning environment, not a playpark. It's not about 'silence' - my library is very rarely silent - it's about providing members of the community the support needed to research, read, learn, and use ICT. You do that through being welcoming, inclusive and supportive.

crunchymint · 10/04/2018 11:22

I have stopped using my local library for the exact same reason. I don't understand why the quiet area can not have doors so that it is quiet.

anxious2017 · 10/04/2018 11:22

No one is saying a library needs to be silent. They're saying that it shouldn't be used as a play park. There's a vast difference.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 10/04/2018 11:25

Crikey! I've just been to the library. There was a chess club in one corner, a computer awareness session in another and the biggest space had about 20 toddlers and babies, plus at least one parent... all happily co existing.

It was a bit noisy, far more noisy than an old fashioned library. But it felt quite nice, a happy atmosphere.

Maybe, OP, you should do what I used to do, even in the quiet room of my Uni library! Wear headphones and drown them out with your own music. It's the only way you get to choose what noise to listen to, it becomes white noise, very easy to work with! It doesn't work with a radio station, it has to be music you know well.

crunchymint · 10/04/2018 11:25

I don't actually care of there is a play park in a library. But why make it open plan?? Simply make a proper quiet area with doors so that people can read and research in quiet.

grasspigeons · 10/04/2018 11:25

its a shame that a bit of thought couldn't go into design / layout

I know its not your job, but sometimes providing half a solution and approaching the right people helps. There are sound barriers, rugs and things that could dampen the noise that you hang on walls and siting quiet areas far from the café which would all help.

I read so often people saying go to the library to study/ apply for jobs etc when people are on benefits but very little understanding that if the library is also a crèche then its hard to concentrate and apply for jobs.

strawberrypenguin · 10/04/2018 11:26

Libraries are facing a real struggle to stay open. Things like this ensure that they can. It's unfortunate that you are trying to study there and find that it's too noisy but it's Easter and there will be quieter times of day. If the uni is close can't you use the uni library

crunchymint · 10/04/2018 11:27

Why should adults wear headphones to go to a library?
I suspect many will do what I did and simply stop going. I had went to the library at least every week since I was a child. Since a similar refurbishment I have not went once.

Willow2017 · 10/04/2018 11:29

All job searches for jsa etc have to be entered online. The library is often the only place people can do this as well as applying for jobs online doing those ridiculous long questionairres. Having your kids running around screaming while you have a coffee and a chat doesnt trump someone elses use of the library.

And no a chaotic play area isnt encouraging kids to love books. Story times in the library and chosing books does that.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 10/04/2018 11:29

They are open plan so minimal staff can oversee all spaces. Even now, at Easter, when there are all sorts of additional activities. In about 5 minutes the library here will host the start of the Easter egg hunt. Lots of under 12s collecting their treasure map... it'll be chaotic for a while.

But that's what a library is these days.

twilightcafe · 10/04/2018 11:29

I used to wear headphones at the library when studying. What's the difference?

YellowPrimula · 10/04/2018 11:31

My ds in in our local library today revising for GCSEs, this is also one which has had the quiet areas removed in favour of open plan . The council enquiry desk has also moved there as the local council in its wisdom has decided to move to an out of town site . There are now queues of people waiting for bus passes , council tax queries and housing questions.

My children have grown up as library users as did I , my mother is shocked at the transformation and I think it is appalling that another resource for studying etc for those who do not have the space at home has been removed. My children were never allowed to run screaming through a library , they understood very early on that we went to the library to quietly read , look at books or join an activity. Any screaming nd we left...immediately and without any books.

Apparently since this transformation more people have come into the library but fewer are borrowing books , most are there for the council enquiries.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 10/04/2018 11:31

Why should adults wear headphones to go to a library? Oh! OK. Given how libraries have changed you either take your own precautions or avoid the library altogether.

It seems ridiculous to insist that a library remains as it was when I was a child... when that means they don't raise enough revenue to continue to exist!

crunchymint · 10/04/2018 11:32

I didn't think open plan was so you can have minimal staff. I understand that, but it doesn't work for some users.
twilight I don't like wearing headphones. Sure I would if I had to go to the library. But easiest option is what I have chosen to do and just stop going. I suspect others will also have decided the same.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 10/04/2018 11:33

"Running around a library shrieking will not instill a love of books and reading

Exactly. And it is either a library and thus with activities that are oriented towards books and other similar media or it is a play park. Turning a library that previously served the whole community into a free play area is not saving a library. It is creating a free play area that only services a small section of the community.

Viviennemary · 10/04/2018 11:33

I'd like to go back to the days when libraries were quiet areas and not playgrounds. I hardly use the library now because of this whereas years ago I enjoyed an hour or even longer of peace in a library.

WhaleTasting · 10/04/2018 11:34

Presumably children aren't welcome at the uni library so I'd go there.

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