[Publib] children of staff

[Deborah]

Thank you, Ms. Burton.  
I was surprised at how many libraries have faced this challenge and, from what I've read, how difficult it's been to walk a fine line between compassion and turning the library into a daycare center. 
Our library has dealt with children in the workplace and the needs of parents in a compassionate, caring way but I found out today that a staff member is spreading a rumor that I went into a towering rage when she brought her 5-year-old to work. I did tell her that her child was to young and needy to be at work with her, and I certainly did not scream at her, as the rumor around town reports. This employee had been told many times that the child was too young to be at work and that patron's were suffering since she was attending to the needs of her child and neglecting work. That her child was in the library to spare her husband from attending the baby is, to me, not a good reason to bring her child to the library.
I do allow parents of small children to get the first bite at vacation time so they can be with their children during spring and winter break and, if a child is sick, I've worked 12-hour shifts to cover hours since things happen. I'm just a tad peeved that I'm being portrayed as an ogre.

Deb
These are merely my opinions...



Beware the man of one book. Latin Proverb


       
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