Unpopular Opinion

I'm probably biased, but absolutely agree, and take it further.

It used to be parents would take their kids outside and punish them, and I'm sure many are, but I personally have never seen it happen. Libraries are egregious, but other places too.

I get it. You're tired, you're overworked, parenting is hard. But they are you're responsibility. Libraries are not childcare. Letting them run through grocery stores is not parenting. Sitting in a nice restaurant letting you child scream is not parenting. It is the parents job to teach them when it is and isn't okay to run around and scream, and if they can't handle it that's fine, but they don't belong there yet. Take them outside. That's your job.

I still remember I was screaming and screwing around in church and my mom told my dad to take me outside. I remember because it was well over 90 degrees out and we're sitting in the car. I finally chilled out and said "dad I'm hot". I'll never forget what he said

Yeah well I'm not too but it's you're fault we're both out here.

It's not comfortable being a parent, but that's the role you're in.

The problem here isn't that libraries need to stop catering to parents with young kids, it's that they've not set up an appropriate space, or time for these little kids to come visit.

My local library (and lots in the UK) have a designated time for things like group reading and kids corner sessions. That way they're not disturbing random folks just trying to get about their day, and they're also giving what can be a vital space for young children to discover books, and parents to interact with other parents.

Sounds to me like your library is failing to enforce it's own rules.

I’m not discounting your experience and I haven’t been in a public library more than a couple of times in maybe the last 35 years, but they were some of my favorite places growing up and I still help out by donating to them and such.

All of the ones I’ve been in have had the children’s section physically separated from the adult section by something like the lobby containing the librarian’s desk. Call it about 30-40 feet of space. Furthermore, the kid’s section wasn’t an “anything goes” kind of area - it was treated as an opportunity for kids to learn proper library behavior. The section had its own librarian who wouldn’t not hesitate to shush noisy kids.

So, while I don’t think yours is an unpopular opinion, I am hoping the experience is less common than you’ve seen.

Also, university libraries are often open to anyone (although you won’t be able to borrow books), so that might be an alternate option. They might not have public WiFi though.

Libraries should be quiet but I strongly disagree that they shouldn't cater for kids, libraries are great for kids I take my toddler to our library fairly often and she's learn to love books because of it.

The situation is just a shitty parent not an issue with libraries catering for kids.

Bad parents are a thing. Children screaming loudly in an indoor environment should be corrected.

I don't think your opinion is unpopular. There are lots of people who will agree with you that libraries should be absolutely silent.

But I don't agree. There should be space for kids to learn to love books. They might noiser that you would like, but kids who love books are a benefit to our world.

Libraries are a community meeting place, one of the last good third spaces left. If you want perfect silence go home.

Libraries are not your unpaid office space.

I think you need to have both spaces; one for children to get into learning and one for adults to have a quiet environment.

I agree that a library should provide a quiet area.

Kids can learn to be quiet. Maybe libraries don't need whisper voices anymore, but inside voices for sure. Teaching kids (and adults it seems) to respect a public space and the people who are using it is not kid hostile. Sharing a space means all sides have to compromise and get along.

Listen... Libraries are dying. I have a library of Alexandria in my pocket. Nobody needs to go to them anymore. In order to justify their continued existence they have to find a new product market fit. They have to cater to people who would use them. Those people happen to be stay at home soccer moms and their kids.

So you have to suffer. I like my libraries quiet as well, but I understand what they're doing. And honestly, I don't want all the places people can still go for free to be kid hostile. I'm kind of OK with it all in all, as opposed to them shutting down.

they were running around and yelling like it was their house.

They all would get asked to leave, immediately, if they did that in my country. I mean, everybody learns at child age that you behave quietly in a library. So this scene simply would not happen in the first place.

Por que no los dos? My local library has different sections for toddlers, elementary schoolers, young adults, and adults and I think that's how it should be.

Having children enters one into a contract with society. Society allows that you can have children. You agree to try your best to raise them to be a net good for society (or at least not harmful to society). People have forgotten this.

I am a parent of a 6 year old and I would be absolutely mortified if he acted like that in the library. I am sorry on behalf of all of us parents that actually try.

And dads.

But as long as they're quiet, or are trying to, it's fine. The problem is bad parenting.

Hmm I’ve been in some very small libraries where this would be an issue, but most of the ones I’ve been in have the kids section on a separate floor and the kids head straight there. Perhaps what we really need is more funding for libraries so that more can do this.

My library put a toddler play area next to the non fiction section. They make no attempt to stop any noise. The study areas have noisy teenagers and people watching videos with the sound on. Noone seems to care.

Libraries are not at all the quiet places I grew up with and I guess people like me just have to accept that we are not welcome. I resent it but it seems parents can no longer be expected to teach their children to be quiet and respect others using a space.

I mean, don't expect a library to cater to your demographic if you arent there, being the regular customer/ patron.

A mom and 3-12 yo? That sounds like a great demographic for a library to cater to. And its a way to get their kid to engage with educational material in a fun way? And its free? Bro.

I think if you want libraries to cater to your demographic of use, you need to become the most common demographic.

How small was this library? My town's local library is more than big enough that I would be able to move to a different room or floor or section to escape noise, and they had a designated children's area downstairs. Even in smaller towns I'd imagine the average library has more than a single room. I live in Canada but I wouldn't think it'd be that much different in most places in the US. Heck even my university library had multiple floors and was more than big enough to escape noise in one location especially with noise cancelling headphones.

There should be areas setup for kids or certain timeslots where it's encouraged. But it's also a case of parenting, when I was little I was made very aware how I need to be quiet when I was taken in there. You have to teach your kids respect.