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That has been a thing for about a decade. Librarians and libraries are more like community outreach centers now that you can Google anything. Many are struggl

That has been a thing for about a decade. Librarians and libraries are more like community outreach centers now that you can Google anything. Many are struggling to help people with media literacy, and I don't know of any that are really doing a great job with that.

trollbridge 2y ago
Mine has rooms to park your kids in with cartoons playing on a TV. I want my kids to be interested in reading, not watching cartoons. When I discussed this with them, their answer was "Well, kids aren't that interested in books anymore."
- UtopiaPunk 2y ago
  Oof, that's too bad. The libraries near me are great for my toddler. They do story time and play time, and it's a good chance for my kid to play with other kids. My kiddo always checks out a book (or three) when we visit.
- __MatrixMan__ 2y ago
  Mine has 3d printers and laser cutters. I don't have kids but if I did I wouldn't mind having a place to park them while my print finished. Ideally they'd be interested in more enriching activities, but I'm sympathetic to the idea that that's maybe harder than it sounds.
- mingus88 2y ago
  That’s a parenting problem. Can’t blame the library. They need to meet people where the are. When I had a kid I made a vow that I would immediately buy them any book they showed interest in. Any other toy or game would be a discussion but books, anytime anywhere. And we put up bookshelves, so they would always have books nearby. There was a study I read where just the existence of books was beneficial, regardless of how much reading was done. https://www.jcfs.org/blog/importance-having-books-your-home https://www.jcfs.org/blog/importance-having-books-your-home Finally, I read to them every night I could. Just 10 minutes a night. Then you just put limits on screens. Let them get bored. They will start reading on their own, and when they do it’s just amazing.
  - trollbridge 2y ago
    Well, as a parent, I’d prefer my kids not be exposed to screens at the library of all places. We have a great deal of books in our house including ones for children but I’d like them to grow up with the curiosity had to explore the library. It’s a real pain in the neck when they have a room with cartoons in it, which kids will especially gravitate to if you limit their screen time at home (which we do).
    - john_the_writer 2y ago
      Yeah that blows my mind. Of all places I'd not expect a cartoon to be. There are so many books kids could read. I don't see how a librarian can view a screen as anything they'd allow in their building. My kids daycare added a TV. The "teachers" said it was allowed by law. I said sure and pulled them out. Sucked because they'd just replaced most of the staff and the new staff was pro-tv while the old staff had never once turned on a TV.
      - deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
      - trollbridge 2y ago
        One thing I appreciate at (some) YMCAs is that their childwatch is TV screen free, including my one locally and the one that's next door to my doctor's office. (We like to combine doctor visits or checkups with a trip to the YMCA if we're well enough to go.) I avoid the childwatch at the YMCA that has a couple of screens, although it's otherwise excellent. A trend in (some) libraries is to put technology everywhere - iPads for example (which I consider a very clunky way to search the library catalog). I'm assuming these things get bought via grants. If I go to the library, I want to deal with books, not computers which access the exact same stuff I could get at home. A separate computer room with actual, real, desktop computers available for people to use is fine.
        threatofrain 2y ago
        The "thing you can get at home" is why the iPad is at the library. Because it is becoming a community center, and also partly because it functions as an extremely understaffed daycare.
- Aeolun 2y ago
  Weird. Our libraries have dedicated rooms for kids to read. And to study. It’s incredibly convenient. What I haven’t seen is TV’s.

trollbridge 2y ago

Mine has rooms to park your kids in with cartoons playing on a TV. I want my kids to be interested in reading, not watching cartoons. When I discussed this with them, their answer was "Well, kids aren't that interested in books anymore."

UtopiaPunk 2y ago
Oof, that's too bad. The libraries near me are great for my toddler. They do story time and play time, and it's a good chance for my kid to play with other kids. My kiddo always checks out a book (or three) when we visit.
__MatrixMan__ 2y ago
Mine has 3d printers and laser cutters. I don't have kids but if I did I wouldn't mind having a place to park them while my print finished. Ideally they'd be interested in more enriching activities, but I'm sympathetic to the idea that that's maybe harder than it sounds.
mingus88 2y ago
That’s a parenting problem. Can’t blame the library. They need to meet people where the are. When I had a kid I made a vow that I would immediately buy them any book they showed interest in. Any other toy or game would be a discussion but books, anytime anywhere. And we put up bookshelves, so they would always have books nearby. There was a study I read where just the existence of books was beneficial, regardless of how much reading was done. https://www.jcfs.org/blog/importance-having-books-your-home https://www.jcfs.org/blog/importance-having-books-your-home Finally, I read to them every night I could. Just 10 minutes a night. Then you just put limits on screens. Let them get bored. They will start reading on their own, and when they do it’s just amazing.
- trollbridge 2y ago
  Well, as a parent, I’d prefer my kids not be exposed to screens at the library of all places. We have a great deal of books in our house including ones for children but I’d like them to grow up with the curiosity had to explore the library. It’s a real pain in the neck when they have a room with cartoons in it, which kids will especially gravitate to if you limit their screen time at home (which we do).
  - john_the_writer 2y ago
    Yeah that blows my mind. Of all places I'd not expect a cartoon to be. There are so many books kids could read. I don't see how a librarian can view a screen as anything they'd allow in their building. My kids daycare added a TV. The "teachers" said it was allowed by law. I said sure and pulled them out. Sucked because they'd just replaced most of the staff and the new staff was pro-tv while the old staff had never once turned on a TV.
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
    - trollbridge 2y ago
      One thing I appreciate at (some) YMCAs is that their childwatch is TV screen free, including my one locally and the one that's next door to my doctor's office. (We like to combine doctor visits or checkups with a trip to the YMCA if we're well enough to go.) I avoid the childwatch at the YMCA that has a couple of screens, although it's otherwise excellent. A trend in (some) libraries is to put technology everywhere - iPads for example (which I consider a very clunky way to search the library catalog). I'm assuming these things get bought via grants. If I go to the library, I want to deal with books, not computers which access the exact same stuff I could get at home. A separate computer room with actual, real, desktop computers available for people to use is fine.
      - threatofrain 2y ago
        The "thing you can get at home" is why the iPad is at the library. Because it is becoming a community center, and also partly because it functions as an extremely understaffed daycare.
Aeolun 2y ago
Weird. Our libraries have dedicated rooms for kids to read. And to study. It’s incredibly convenient. What I haven’t seen is TV’s.