[Publib] adults in children's areas

[Theyer, Hillary]

Well, I composed a reply earlier, then deleted it, but Dale said it better.

The key is to have sound reasoning - not just "all adults are pedophiles" or "all children are noisy brats."  The size of the space, the furniture, the surroundings, the other options available all come into play.  Like I said before, we have that rule at our main library, but not at our branches, because the spaces are completely different.

And, for my opinion, you CAN ask a noisy, disruptive child to leave - if it is in your behavior policy.  In ours, that would count as interfering with other's use of the library.  Noisy child, swearing adult, screaming adult, teen tossing spitballs, if your behavior is such that you are unreasonably interfering with someone else's ability to use the facility, you can be asked to alter your behavior or leave. I personally love our behavior policy, it allows us to protect all users of all our spaces.  If a child is disruptive, our staff quietly and respectfully asks the caregiver to take them outside until they can calm down.  We'll help the parent check out faster, or offer to hold their books so we can make that happen.  See our webpage for the policy, and I'll sign my library at the bottom for you.

Adults are denied nothing except the ability to sit in a chair too small for them, blocking an area not meant for them, and not actively be doing anything that requires them to be right there.  They can select and use materials, check out anything, ask questions of the librarians, attend programs in the story theater, and frequently do all of that and more.

And I still love the the fact that all libraries in all jurisdictions are not the same.  How boring that would be!  We could write one procedures manual for the nation and be done.  What a fascinating world we work in!

Now for a totally unrelated question. My N key is sometimes not typing on my practically new laptop.  If it is tipped forward I hit it but it doesn't type an N, if it is flat, it doesn't.  But, the operative word of laptop is lap, so I tip it forward a lot.  Any suggestions?  Should I turn it upside down and shake it?

Hillary Theyer
Torrance PL (CA)
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