It is a sad state of affairs when a library that is only 5 years old (and I quote from an e-mail from the Director of Library Services) "staff has been advised to strongly discourage the rental of the Community Rooms to groups with very young children."
I know for me I want my child to love to read, to love books and to cherish going to the library. Maybe the Library would reconsider its position by asking for the public’s help in making the rooms child proof and remaining child proof, to ask parents/guardians to retain control of their children or maybe even ask for a larger deposit or rental fees? To discourage any group from renting the Community rooms is deceiving to the families that support the library and its programs.
The following is an exchange between the Director of Library Services and my self.
"Thank you for your concern regarding the Library and its meeting rooms. There is no specific policy regarding the use of the meeting rooms by children of any age. In fact, we do our own programming for children of all ages in our Craft Room in the Youth Services Department. The complete library meeting room policy may be found on our web site at this link http://www.ci.livermore.ca.us/library/pdfs/meeting_room.pdf.
However, we do have concerns about the appropriateness of the meeting rooms for groups with young children who crawl on the floor or are not kept under control by parents or caregivers. The meeting rooms are not child safety proof. There are electrical outlets in the floors which can be left uncovered by prior groups as well as who knows what spilled on the floor by groups using the room prior to the daily cleaning. Therefore, we have advised some groups with young children that the Community Rooms, in particular, are not for them. This has followed a series of complaints we received from some users who were concerned about child safety. As long as a group complies with the requirements of the meeting room policy, they may reserve the room at their own risk.
Neither the Library nor the City is liable for anything that a child may find on the floor that might be harmful. Therefore, we have suggested that perhaps this venue is not appropriate for their use. Folks have assured us they will not let their children crawl on the floor but we have actually seen them doing just that and, as I said, we have received complaints. We feel, in the interest of safety, it is best if groups with young children do not use the community rooms. Section E .2. of the library meeting room policy states:
There must be no legal, health, or safety limitations on the use of a library for … an activity.
In addition, anyone using the rooms is expected to behave in a manner in keeping with proper behavior in a library. Several times children in the meeting rooms have been left unattended or unsupervised and have been running up and down the gallery and disturbing other library patrons. The Library reserves the right to ask groups or individuals who do not adhere to the library’s Patron Responsibility and Conduct Policy and Unattended Children Policy not to use the meeting rooms or, in extreme cases, to leave the library. As stated in Section E.2. of the library meeting room policy:
The activity must not interfere with normal library operations.
Therefore ,primarily in the interest of safety, staff has been advised to strongly discourage the rental of the Community Rooms to groups with very young children. We do not feel the Community Rooms are a safe environment for the young. The person renting the room assures us they will take responsibility but then we get complaints from others in the group. As a result, it puts us in a very difficult position, and we feel it is in the best interests of all, to limit use.
Again, thank you for your concern and your understanding. "
Susan R. Gallinger
Director of Library Services
Livermore Public Library
1188 So. Livermore. Ave.
Livermore, Ca. 94550
925-373-5509
Fax: 925-373-5503
srgallinger@livermore.lib.ca.us
From Me to the Library:
"I posted this on your Facebook and got no response. I am hoping to understand what written policy you have in regards to the following:
Just wondering if policy has changed regarding renting rooms at the library. Is it true that you do not rent rooms to children/parent organizations (meaning that children will be in the room being rented) and does that include nursing babies?"
Thank you in advance for your time,
Kathleen Schoening
The room used for baby/toddler storytime is not child proof. Instead the storytime librarian asks that children (inquisitive little minds) not to touch things. No matter how gentle the child is being, or that the parent is interacting with the child to ensure that nothing (child or item) is damaged. If you are going to have children in the library, you need to child proof the room. It seems to me that the Civic Center branch needs to remove their children's section, since they seem to see children as a problem.
ReplyDeleteCivic Center has had a chip on its shoulder since it paid that horrible artist who misspelled a few of the names on her own artwork.
ReplyDeleteThey actually kicked out my son, Rowan, because he touched the blinds on one of their windows.
Guess what? That's my freakin' library! I'm sure my tax dollars pay that horrible administrator's salary.
Relax people. Patricia obviously did not make the distinction between the Children's room and the community rooms which are rented out to community groups. The City does not have the staff to clean up the rooms after each use and too often people don't pick up after themselves. If the rents are raised,then the rooms would be less accessible to community groups. Ms. Gallinger made it very clear that her first concern is the safety of the children when the parents cannot be trusted to look after their children themselves. The rooms CAN be rented for groups with children but the parents must be responsible. Bill, was Rowan the child who recently broke the blinds? He is supposed to be reading books, not grabbing blinds. Keep him under control...case in point.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure of who "Anonymous" is but until I posted Susan's (the director of the library) response I had no idea that Patricia or Bill had issues with the library.
ReplyDeleteWhat I do know is that a few organizations have flat out been denied the Community Room to hold meetings because children were involved. That is what is unfortanate. It seems like the library or those in involved in the rental of the library are speaking out one thing but doing another.