Has your library stopped buying children's books? What's going on?

[browniedropout]

Yesterday the topic was libraries, but I had to go to work. I wanted to ask if my experience is typical or is it just libraries near the M25 - Surrey? My two local libraries are both smallish and don't seem to get any new fiction books for children. I'm ok. They seem to still have adults and YES and I know I could go and buy them - but we always use the library for ideas on new authors. I've got one who has to be forced to take books but once he gets one he likes he's away. We used to use the library because you could take loads and if he hated them, it didn't matter, we just took them back. Is this happening around you?

We have a pretty well stocked library. I don't know how up-to-date they are with children's authors, though, because I don't keep up-to-date myself.

They've started intrioducing late return charges on children's books as well. It's only 5p a day but I found myself paying over £7 a few weeks back as the books and days had just accumulated. Good idea in theory to get children responsible for bringing back their own books, but it's still the parents who end up paying and having to stress over finding the books.

Public library budgets are often subject to severe cuts because of the way local government finances work. This may mean that libraries are closed/curtail hours/cut services or stop buying books. In many areas readers are encouraged to donate books to public libraries. It may be that your local authority has slashed its book budget or that funds will be available at a particular point in the year - then loads of new books will suddenly appear on the shelves.

Yep, I asked why the library doesn't hv any new books for children and they said there's no money for books or staff. My friend offered them some books and they said they could sell them but there's no staff to put the books on the system, or cover them. But what really gets me, is that in Surrey the rates are huge, so why are our services so bad? The final straw for me was asking for a book for DS from another library and when it turned up, it was grimy and battered. The librarian was ashamed to offer it to us. It had 25 stamps in the book. DS wouldn't read it, we didn't take it. We bought the Captain Underpants. Highly recommend, but now DS doesn't want to bother with library any more. I thought Britain is supposed to be the 4th richest nation in the world but seems we can't afford clean books for the kids. Something?s not right.

Redhill library very good with lots of new books?

Redhill far to far away for DS, DD and me. I like walking to the library. We have to shop and go to school by car. It's about the only place we can walk to. Most of the parks involve a car journey. Back later.

Here in Bristol, we are very lucky. OUr library is part of a scheme that allows us to order any child's book for free from an extensive catalogue featuring all the books from libraries in Bristol, Somerset and Gloucester.

our small local cosy library shut almost overnight with no notice given

large library has very little in the way of adult fiction (no classics, no up to date fiction) its all mills and boon type stuff in large print
the staff urge you to complain by using comment cards and still waiting to hear back
when i asked where all the books were from the small library i was told 'pulped or sold' wtf...

its so sad and wrong

All useful info, I also posted this thread on the am I being unreasonable thread so have other feedback. So some libraries big and small have fandabidosi selection for adults and children. The big towns Edinburgh Bristol, Woking and bits of Herts have the lion's share. I went to complain and have been told to put it in writing. They were promised new books for kids but then told sorry but your library won't be getting any. So I will be writing. All I hear on the TV and radio is stop driving and walk. If they want us to walk they should put clean books in small libraries. The librarian told me they can't complain, but I refused to be designated as SAD (as mentioned in previous post) just cos I want to carry on using my library! I hope you feel the same.

Don't complain to the library staff; they don't set policy or allocate money. Write to the County Librarian or Head of Libraries and copy the letter to your local councillor and councillor with responsibility for libraries. You could also get the local paper on board, they love a good story against the council