https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2018/02/throwing-tables-and-spitting-in-the-face-the-lesser-known-side-of-libraries.html What's happening to your library? Thu, 22 Feb 2018 21:47:56 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2018/02/throwing-tables-and-spitting-in-the-face-the-lesser-known-side-of-libraries.html#comment-26902 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 15:43:33 +0000 http://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/?p=13658#comment-26902 I’ve had the pleasure of working in (and managing) both kinds of library and I must admit I find the ‘chair throwing’ ones far more rewarding. Whilst it can be challenging to keep staff morale up at times where anti-social behaviour happens daily, it is really rewarding to work with members of the public who calm down, come back and use the service well. At times when that doesn’t happen, the byelaws and support of the police is helpful, but only after every other avenue has been explored. The strategies to cope with it are really important but when someone does throw a chair, asking “is everything ok?” is generally a better opening than “can you not throw chairs please.” In my experience it’s a sign that something isn’t right with that person and they really need the help of someone who has compassion for members of the public. And if a library isn’t the place to find that, I don’t know where is.

]]> https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2018/02/throwing-tables-and-spitting-in-the-face-the-lesser-known-side-of-libraries.html#comment-26870 Wed, 21 Feb 2018 05:34:00 +0000 http://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/?p=13658#comment-26870 Interesting article. My local library had by-laws ( whatever happened to by-laws?) 100 years ago basically telling users what they could / could not do – pipe tobacco use/ sleeping etc etc.
The renovated Manchester Library has removed most rules – people can eat and drink and talk everywhere except the Archive Search Room. The rulings apparently ” no hot food” but I have seen pizzas/ burgers/ chips a plenty. Th only time when the library’s permissive stance wavered was when the rough sleepers of “Tent City” in St Peter’s Square wanted to come into the library and use the toilet and washing facilities. Suddenly there were police/ private security people – the lot!
There used to be a fairly ordinary basement cafe – which kept food and drink consumption away from the wonderful book collection. No longer ! The cafe is on the ground floor and is – as i have said – not the only place here food and drink are consumed. The cafe is full of people having business meetings and running private one to one language schools!
Since when did students have to eat/ drink from plastic bottles/ chat/ text when they are studying ? People tell me that I am old fashioned – patronising so and so’s! There are pianos in the famous Henry Watson Music Library – as well as a drum kit and turntables ! The library is very keen on footfall , but aren’t libraries meant to be about books and information. I saw on two occasions a young man bring in a portable food heater and plug it in ! It was like a Tupperware box with a 3 pin plug attached to it. His beef stew/ tagine’s smell went everywhere.
I have visited Liverpool; Leeds; Birmingham and other big libraries to compare them with Manchester. ALL are better run ; Birmingham has ZONES – quiet; relaxed ; etc and forbids food in certain places.
I was teacher for 30 years and ran a school library for nearly half that time; children need ( and like ) rules – no food in the library; no drinks that might spill on books; no running about or shouting; put the books back on the shelf etc – it is quite straightforward as it is based on being considerate to the people. In Manchester people watch adult rated content from YouTube with the sound turned up . I suppose somebody will defend that – but does it have to be in the local studies section , alongside ( mostly) older people doing serious family history research ?

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