I’ve been out most of the day. One of my stops was the Blacktown Library, a magnificent building with possibly the best resources and librarial (I’m using it as an adjective) facilities in Western Sydney. I like to frequent the reference section, from where you can’t borrow, only read. Latest publications, periodicals and other interesting stuff.
After what was supposed to be a pleasant and soothing couple of hours away from my desk, I was forced to raise the roof and complain. It was more like a McDonalds’ playground than a reference library. Children running willy-nilly, none reading or using the computers; those accompanied by a parent even less behaved due to the encouragement of their DOCS liable parents. The librarian ignored these commotions, the security guard, yes they now have security guards in libraries, shrugged his shoulders saying, ‘well, what can you do?’ Typical Gen X non-responsibility taker. Fuck, he’s a security guard, and then he says, ‘well I can only suggest that they quieten down’.
Fuck me and a big brown dog, and the horse I rode up on. A stern letter will be following to the registrar, who probably being Gen X or Y will shrug and throw it in the bin. But I ask you… it’s a flippin’ library, not a child minding centre. And it was 7:30 at night. There are children’s sections downstairs on the first floor, with games and suitable books, but no, apparently it’s open slather amongst the reference shelves. Is nothing sacred?
So how was your day?
16 responses so far ↓
angelapj // March 16, 2010 at 12:22 pm |
Teehee I can just imagine you riding up to the library on a horse.
I am very uncomfortable with my 3 children at the library.
I expect them to be quiet, stay by my side and not touch anything. They’re not very good at that. I want them to go to the library and be as awestruck and respectful as I was/am. Hopefully they’ll get it when they’re a bit older.
When I was in primary school, my friends and I used to ride to the library after school. It was a dark old building connected to the town hall. It was wonderful. We would browse the encyclopaedias then pick a Famous Five or Bobbssey twins book to take up to the big wooden counter. We didn’t talk or giggle or run around. We did whisper, 10 year old girls have a lot to say. We would look books up in the long Dewey card boxes. It was such an exciting place. After we left town they moved the library to a new building with lots of windows. There were rows of open racks rather than big wooden bookcases against the walls. It didn’t seem as deserving of my respect as the old one.
gigdiary // March 19, 2010 at 5:46 pm |
Perhaps there is a reason why men develop deep voices once they pass puberty. It’s not to sing baritone, it’s to rouse on the kids.
Rosie // March 16, 2010 at 8:27 pm |
Oi!! I am Gen X, and I am NOT a shoulder-shrugging, let-the-brats-be-feral person. Personal, I want to plant them in a corner, and then yell at their parents. And none of it nicely.
This is why I avoid my local library, too many kids playing up. The vast majority behave well, and have only the occassional slip-up, but they are generally in the small people’s section, while the rowdy, bratty, feral monsters are where I need to be to study.
Rosie // March 16, 2010 at 8:27 pm |
Oh, and in my day, if you raised your voice above a whisper, or moved faster than a moderate walk whilst in the library, you got 1 warning, and then shown the door.
gigdiary // March 16, 2010 at 8:40 pm |
Till recently I hadn’t been to a library since the 60s. Back then libraries were sanctuaries of quiet. No sound was heard, not even a mouse…
It was a shock to see, and hear. As for not going to a library for forty years, well I blame that on the dirty rock’n'roll. Rots your brain and sends you deaf…now where is my guitar?
wollywally // March 21, 2010 at 10:03 pm |
Gigdiary I would love you to google ” Reggio preschool system” and read what they do there with kids, and I tell you this with lots of love in my heart, ” you are turning into a grumpy old man” learn from kids, they are wonderful teachers, thay are spontaneous, they are fun, they live in the moment and do not have any worries in the world, they forget any offence straight away, I could go on and on,
when I was a kid, I used to read book in the company of at least 400 other children, it was very noisy, I was so engrossed into my reading that I did not hear the bell and everybody leaving ,and lots of time I got in trouble with the teacher for being late, to be able to switcth off in the middle of noisy situation has been a good help later in life, what I suggest next is to get a book and go and sit in the most noisy part of the city and see how you going with it, let me know I am intersted in the result, BTW I learned later in life that this is a kind of Zen meditation, love ooxx
gigdiary // March 21, 2010 at 11:56 pm |
Grumpy, yes! but really, the reference section of a library, situated on a different floor from the children’s section, and all you can say is learn to meditate rather than discipline the children, who have no reason to be there in the first place? Absurd.
My views on meditation were posted on mamamia a while back. Highly in favour of relaxation, meditation and similar techniques, I was nevertheless laughed at or ignored.
It was on this post.
MangoGirl // March 22, 2010 at 10:15 am |
I’m in favour of meditation and learning to “switch off”. I read in some ‘mental health’ magazine recently that it’s good to find a quiet place in your house to de-stress when you feel like you may need it.
The plastic-fantastic set on M**mia can’t see deeper than skin depth. Ouch!!!
wollywally // March 22, 2010 at 9:42 am |
Gigdyary kids have the same right as you do, what makes you thinks that you have more then them, and I do agree they could be tone down, I just remind you that what you learned in your life tool you fifty and something years to learn, do you know how the adults world is complicated for a child , rules rules and more rules, do not do this, do not do that, and any of this rules make us any happier, the only rules if we can call this rule is to them that our freedom start and finished where your freedom start and finished, in short consideration, now my question to you lovely Giddiary, do you have consideration for kids,? with lots of love in my heart and peace,
love ooxx
gigdiary // March 22, 2010 at 7:31 pm |
Certainly children have rights. The right to be nurtured, fed, encouraged, taught, protected, loved, along with instructed, inspired and disciplined. Given these rights, children can grow up with confidence both in themselves and their parents, and with a sense of belonging in society. Take away these rights and a child is rudderless, too easily caught up in the rip of prevailing conditions. Without the liferaft of a caring and controlled upbringing, these children will be adrift for the rest of their lives. We are seeing too many examples of this today.
Children don’t have the right to run roughshod over adult places of work, study or adult recreation. This is not a denial of children’s rights, nor is it a denial of respect or love for the child. It’s of benefit to both parent and child that behavioural constraints are put in place early in the child’s upbringing.
Free range hens may be healthier for us, but free range children are a recipe for social disaster.
wollywally // March 22, 2010 at 8:54 pm |
Gigdiary them I would complain about the parenting style or lack of parenting, not blame the kids that missed on having a good parent doing is job, is not the childrens fault if there are not disciplined and taught how to behave, love ooxx
gigdiary // March 22, 2010 at 9:07 pm |
I see your point, but in no way was I denigrating the children, it was their behaviour, and of course, at that age, that can only be the responsibility of the parents, the library staff and the security company. It is them that I am railing against.
Gee, I must have such a hard exterior, that you can’t see my soft interior.
wollywally // March 22, 2010 at 9:33 pm |
Next time will be good if you can be more specific who you runt against it, if are kids well I think by now you know where i stand, i am not for spoiling children, total opposite, and in many way we are talking the same language here, and I can’t see your softer side because you haven;t showed to me, love to see it, love ooxx
wollywally // March 22, 2010 at 10:06 pm |
Forgot to thank you for the big print, that;s was lovely of you, I should retract my word, making easier for me to read your post was a very nice and kind gesture I appreciate, and yes it show a softer side of you, love ooxx
gigdiary // March 22, 2010 at 10:21 pm |
Thanks, wollywally. I have written lots of softer words on Mamamia, a while back. While I also ranted and raved, I also posted about princesses and imagination, and as said earlier, meditation. These seem to be overlooked. That’s one reason I no longer comment there.
I even wrote one comment that was so soft that a girl responded by saying,
‘why can’t I meet a man like this?’
I didn’t reply, as I didn’t want to disillusion her by telling her I was probably twice her age.
So there is a soft side there, but I rarely bring it out talking politics or archaic religious ideas. I enjoy a good strong stoush, a robust argument, and on this issue you have given all readers here that. Thank you. May there be many more. May we agree to disagree.
And for goodness sakes, keep those kids in line, I’m finding it hard to concentrate.
[joke]
wollywally // March 22, 2010 at 10:27 pm |
he he he, thank you love ooxx