Library Etiquette

What do you expect of your toddler when you take them to a public library?  Our one here is pretty cool though I hardly go there, but today I took Ella to a sesh they run for preschoolers, where they have a sing and dance, listen to a story or a guest (a Police Officer today - and Ella got her first sit in a Police car, which she thought was so cool that she sobbed when she had to get out.  I had to wait 'till I was a bit older to get a ride in one of those!  And I sobbed while I was in  the car ), then do a craft activity.  It was fabulous (apart from no-one saying 'hi' to me.  I don't know why people don't try to make newbies feel welcome ).  After all that fun, I went to get a book on allergies.  I'm at the shelf looking for it, and Ella is walking about talking - not loudly, not squealing (she saves that for the shops ), just saying stuff.  And this old fart tells her "sssh ssssh SSSSH".  I let it go.  He does it again - I decide to grab my book and move on.  He does it AGAIN - I can't think of what I want to say to him but I'm angry, so while I'm planning how to say it, I finally find my book and can leave.  But it left me wondering - what is reasonable to expect of a toddler in a quiet place?  I could understand if I were letting her wreck the joint or she were shouting, but do people really have to get babysitters so they can pop into the library?!?  Some kids are never really quiet - if Ella's awake, she's running, climbing and making noise - it's just the way she is. 

Of course now I'm home I know exactly what I'd have said to him after the second ssshhh.  Gah! 

I know exactly what you mean! I was at the library on Monday and was thinking the same question as you. Ollie was in his buggy and was just chattering away and I figured that was absolutely fine. Lots of people smiled at him and the librarians din't seem to mind.
I have been there other times and he has got quite fiesty and loud. I thought that that was a bit different and I ended up having to leave without getting my books.
They are such a quiet place aren't they!

Edited by katie1

Good question. We don't go to story time as Elle spends the whole time standing, walking amongst the kids, pointing to things in the book and calling out the relevant word. She sits to read at home but there is too much to look at in the library so she won't sit. In our case the staff thought it was cute but some of the other parents looked unimpressed. In my experience she finds the library so interesting that she wants to dash about looking at all the books (and Elle ALWAYS chats whilst exploring). I can't imaging expecting toddlers like ours to be quiet. Maybe in a few months time! I draw the line at letting her run around the study section but I think a reasonable amount of noise should be ok around the kids areas.

I used to work at a library and would never have expected the kids who came in to be absolutely quiet. During school holidays and mums n bubs sessions it used to get so loud! I think it's far more important to encourage kids into reading and becoming familiar with their local library - bah humbug to the grumpy old man, it's generally the oldies who have that outdated opinion that libraries must be totally silent.

haha if he said shhhhh to my child i would have said "shhhhhh " back to him ....

what would you have said Andie? hehe tell us....get it off your chest

Oh Andie, I went in today and had a good chat with one of the librarians. She said that the Tuesday session is a more "friendly" session than the Weds one. We are going to go along to next weeks Tues one if you want some friendly company

I try to do my adult book hunting first, while the girls are settled, and the kiddy stuff after that. I do try to keep them quiet in the adult sections, but that just involves quiet talking not whispering.

Surely the grumpy old man could see that you weren't going to be long?

We went to the Palmy library with Teresa and Fleur when we came to Palmy, and thought is was so fab! Never seen a library like it! We went to one of the pre-school sessions exactly like u discribed and thought it was great!
But our library is a really quiet place and doenst seem kid friendly at all,..we have rushed out both times weve been there when isla makes a noise!

Maya wrote: My girls got asked to leave WINZ last week for being too noisy, they were playing for goodness sake! I've made a formal complaint - they're a govt department and 80% of their clients have young families, how dare they discriminate like that! .

good bloody on you emma !

Ah well, we have that prob with the Wed one, it's on his avo nap time

Our Council has done well with the Library. It's definitely one of the best in NZ!