[Publib] Adults in children's area

[Sue Kamm]

>
>I don't have kids, but why is it "almost impossible" for a parent to
>watch their child in the library?  Having worked in public libraries, I
>know it is indeed the case a lot of times for parents to let their kids
>run loose or, even better, drop them off alone for a few hours.  But I
>was always bothered by that and wondered why the parents wouldn't want
>to keep an eye on them, especially since you have pointed out what a
>horrible, dangerous world it is out there.  I wish more parents would
>understand the library is not necessarily a "secure public space" or a
>babysitter.  Ultimate responsibility for protecting children lies with
>their parents, not the library.  Again, I don't have kids so it's very
>possible I'm not getting it, but that's my perception.
>
There have been episodes of child molestation, kidnapping, and murder when the victim was in the library.  

We need to state loudly and firmly that THE LIBRARY IS  NOT A DAYCARE CENTER!  WE DO NOT ACT IN LOCO PARENTIS!  IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO YOUR CHILD IN THE LIBRARY, IT IS *YOUR* RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR YOUR CHILD'S CHOICE OF WEBSITES OR LIBRARY MATERIALS - NOT OURS.



Your friendly CyberGoddess and Councilor-at-large,
Sue Kamm
Inglewood/Los Angeles, CA
Truest of the Blue, Los Angeles Dodgers Think Blue Week 2000
Visit my blog:  http://suekamm.blogspot.com
email:  suekamm [at] mindspring.com
"I'm not comfortable being preachy, but more people need to start spending as much time in the library as they do on the basketball court."– Kareem Abdul-Jabbar