Crank it up, Crankster

I’ve encountered few librarians who are not permanently cranky. It’s understandable, really. They field phone calls from people asking which channel ESPN is on, remind people that bathing is not allowed in the restrooms, and suffer the sounds of two little boys (ahem) gleefully clanking a dozen metal bookends onto a metal bookshelf. One. By. One.

The particular cranky librarian who investigated the latter ruckus was “worried the bookends might have sharp edges.”

“No, they’re fine,” I said, desperately trying to rummage through the last of the children’s’ audio CDs while the boys were still entertaining themselves. Albeit loudly.

She shrugged her shoulders in a cranky way and said, “It’s your liability.” Then walked off.

Now see here, Ms. Cranky-Crank! I’m very well aware that it’s my liability! Go crank somewhere else while I show my boys that the library, books, and reading are fun!

They might learn something from books, yes, but mostly reading is a very quiet activity that I want them to engage in frequently!

Comments

[Emmie (Better Make It A Double)]

Unbelievable. I have also had people make it clean that they basically wanted me and my kiddos to go elsewhere, "for their own safety". This weekend alone, one woman yelled at me for having my stroller in the middle of a very wide walking path (she barely had to move to get around us, and one of my boys was crying because he'd fallen while walking) and another woman got snippy because one of my boys dropped something on the floor in a coffee-shop and it made a loud noise on the stone floor. my boys are not public screamers, either. I wish we lived in a more kid-welcoming culture.

[Emmie (Better Make It A Double)]

Oops! *clear*, not *clean*.

[The Grandfather]

Perish the thought that reading in general and a library in particular could be fun. By the way what is the answer to the ESPN question?

[Melissa]

We don't go to the library. Ever. I know I'm a horrible mom, but Little Bug walks in and just can't stand the quiet. The first thing he does is YELL. And he continues to yell and giggle till we leave. He stops as soon as we get to the car. Librarians across the country hate our guts.