TracieT Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 My kids are told to whisper. No running, no yelling, no touching things they aren't supposed to touch...those go for every public place. I HATE the library play area thing. Hate it. They can play at home or at the playground, that's not what the library is for. Our library has a lego table and it's loud and is, of course, the thing my 4 year old goes straight to every time. And I wish our librarians would shush people and REALLY wish they would tell the mom's to keep quiet and to keep their kids under control during story hour. It can be very difficult to teach my children the rules when no other kid is following them. And I will stop myself there because this is something I could rant on about endlessly right now. I've had some embarrassing situations lately being in public with other people's children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firestar Academy Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I expect my children to use good manners in the library during the school year and will take them home for any infraction. It is MUCH harder to enforce during the summer. I don't know where those kids come from!! and the summer programs lend themselves to mayhem all over the childrens section. We do our best... robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Dds know not to run or be loud but we don't whisper. We talk normally as everyone else seems to do in our libraries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Dominion Heather Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hmm... I really want to dislike the idea of play zones at the library. What's your thoughts on it? We go to a library that is sort of like this, no climbing structures, but loads of floor puzzles, puppets, and dedicated children's computers. For our area, I like the idea. Our city has one main library. It is within walking distance for many, many children who don't probably have a safe place to play with litte kid toys, and whose families probably don't own computers. It is next door to the city bus line hub, and the city highschool, so many of those kids come in while they are waiting for a bus. The library has done a phenomenal job of pulling those kids in and making them feel welcome. They have special programs DAILY in the summer along with the summer reading program and show movies about four times a week. It is often loud, but happy loud, and that is fine. The adult wing is whispers only. No one would want to study in the children's wing, and that is fine. The children's librarians know the kids by name and do an amazing job on very, very limited funds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hmm... I really want to dislike the idea of play zones at the library. What's your thoughts on it? I love it - the library is one of the biggest assets that our city has and I am so glad to have my tax $$ go toward it. When you walk in you instantly feel the energy of the place and hear the buzz of activity. It's not just a library, it's also grown into a community center with a number of programs running for infants through the elderly at any given time. Now there are quiet areas - the upstairs is quiet, and there is 1/4 of one floor that is a 'quiet reading room' overlooking the water. So it's not that quiet can't be found - but that's not the sole purpose of the library and I wouldn't want it to be. Honestly, when I visit smaller libraries that have the 'hushed quiet' atmosphere without a good play area I feel thankful for what I have and what our city has. A safe place for children of all socio-economic groups to play together that is non-commercialized, has bookshelves nearby to encourage reading, plus a huge story-time program (that is also very active and includes dancing, fingerplay music, and reading time where the preschool kids ARE quiet and listen well in spite of the play area outside the door) is a wonderful thing. It's free for anyone - even nonresidents of the city - and our librarians are on the whole fantastic. There are a few crotchety people but they're generally not in the children's section ;). I'm really not seeing a problem with a library with a play zone, to be honest with you. My kids love the library, we go there for books and to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Yes, my children were always expected to behave in the library. No speaking above a whisper. Our library is one floor and it's all open space. Children screaming, talking loudly and running through the stacks are very distracting to others who are trying to work and study. The librarians will discipline them for that, and other patrons are quite free with the crusty looks if the parent isn't keeping them under control. Children who won't be quiet are asked to leave. It's a library, not a playground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 ALWAYS.My children understood from a very young age that they were to be considerate of the other patrons in the library. They knew that the park was the place to run and yell. Not the library, the grocery store, the post office, etc. Yup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 In the adult section, I make them whisper. In the children's section, they can speak in normal voices, but definitely no yelling or running around. Our library has a play room with toys and a puppet theatre, so they can get a little loud in there, but the librarian usually comes in and asks the kids to settle down if they are getting unruly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 They're not told to whisper, they can speak in voices just a little lower than normal level. They can't be wild or talking overly loud or running around. I only ever have them in the children's section of the library. Fortunately, everyone at our library is nice and doesn't seem to mind kids being kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YLVD Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Do you tell them to walk not run? Do you have other general rules that you (not the library) enforce? I'm alway surprised at how many parents let their kids go bonkers at the library. Are the social rules changing and I'm just behind the times? I had a toddler who had a very loud whisper.. :tongue_smilie: I totally get that little ones weren't built to be quiet robots. But has the overall "shhhh, you're in the library" thing become passe? If you let your kids be at the library, what is your thinking behind this? Do you feel that it's their space and they need to feel comfortable in it? Am I crotchety? :D PS: Stacie, your librarian sounds awful, I'm not implying you let your kids go wild. My daughter is older now, so she knows to do that of course. When she was younger, I never allowed her to be loud and unruly at the library. I'm a big library fan so we went a lot. I taught her how to behave in the library or we left. I admit that I get frustrated when I hear kids being super loud..same with adults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YLVD Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 ALWAYS.My children understood from a very young age that they were to be considerate of the other patrons in the library. They knew that the park was the place to run and yell. Not the library, the grocery store, the post office, etc. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 In the children's section (separate floor), we use slightly hushed speaking voices. No shouting across the room. There is enough ambient noise that normal speaking voices are not a distraction. There is a children's play area with puzzles and board books and couches. I do get annoyed with kids who shout, but not with normal voices in there. During the school year, dd and I do school at the library when we are waiting for our other son to get out of lab. We talk in normal speaking voices, but are right next to each other. In the adult section, we whisper. I expect and comply with a quieter atmosphere in the adult section, especially the sections set aside for research and quiet reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Do you expect your children to use quiet voices in the library?Do you tell them to walk not run? yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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