Taking Kids to the Library

When I was younger I honestly don’t remember going to the city Library. I remember going to the school library and learning about the Dewy Decimal System, and I remember one project in junior high that took me to the library so I could work on a group project {that was a horrible experience and gave me anxiety about working in groups from that point on}

My parents probably took me to the library, I just don’t remember….

Having my own kids though, I want the library to be an active part of their childhood. So we are there a lot.

Before I give some tips for going to the library here are a couple funny stories…

Tommy wanted to know how to make fire… after he was told no to both a lighter and matches he thought of the next best thing… books… The next time we went to the library he got on the computer and looked up a book on how to make fire.  Checked it out and brought it home. I saw him reading it and really didn’t think anything of it, until I saw him outside rubbing a couple sticks together! He was outside working hard to make fire. {he never did… and he still never got the matches}

When Tim was about 2 {I only had the 3 boys at the time} we went to the library, kids were getting tired and hungry, so we were getting thing ready to go. I gathered up our books and boys and was ready to go. Tim wanted to walk so I put him down. He went running through the library screaming and giggling the whole way. He grabbed a random book that was on a table and then proceeded to throw it at the nice lady at the check out counter. She held up the book and asked if I wanted to check it out I sad no…. The book was “How to Raise a Toddler”….

So here are some tips when taking kids to the library…

*Get to know the staff! – The librarians that work in the children’s section are there {generally} because they love kids. They are so helpful and as long as it is kept in check don’t mind the noise {with in reason}.

*Teach kids to use the computers to look up books!  - As soon as we made the library a weekly thing I taught the boys to use the computer to look up books. We all gathered around the computer I showed them what to type in, and to make sure it’s at the library that we are at, and to check to see if is available. Then to write down the name of the book, and the call number or last name. Then we went to look for the book. I showed them the sections of the library and how to find the book with the call numbers, or author’s last name. It took awhile for the boys to get it, but now they can all look up their own books and know how to get them. If you are unsure how to do this ask a librarian, they will be more than happy to help you.

*Teach the kids to where to put unwanted books. – Nothing is more annoying than looking for a book that is available and not being able to find it. If you don’t know how to reshelf a book, don’t. Most of the time libraries {especially the children’s area} will have a place to put the unwanted books. Sometimes it’s a bin at the end of a shelf, sometimes it’s on a table, or even baskets placed around the library to put a book that was pulled off a shelf but not checked out. Teach your children to put the books there so they can be reshelved properly.

*Keep small ones in a stroller – {hear me out…} If you have one or even 2 kids a stroller may not be necessary. If you are just going for story time and leaving you may not need it. However if you are going to be awhile it’s easier to keep a small one with grabby hands in a stroller, that way you can hand them books to look at and not worry about a little one empting an entire shelf onto the floor. {ask me how I know…} We will go to the library, everyone will get what they need and then I’ll let the toddler out of the stroller for the last 10 minutes before we check out where I can just watch him. The others don’t need me so I’m not trying to do two things at once. And the more that you go the better it gets. About 2.5 they are well behaved enough so they no longer need the stroller… we are there enough so they learn the rules fast.  I no longer have to worry about my 4 year old pulling all the books off the shelf, it just comes with time and exposure.

*Be open minded! – You may not think that your 7 year old is going to want to read a certain book because it’s way above their reading level… but you won’t ever know unless you let them. We have had books checked out from the adult section about building construction,  George Washington, Snakes, and Anatomy. For me there really is little that is off limits, and that is due to content {because of their ages}, not because I don’t think that they can read the book. … remember the book on how to build a fire…. That was not found in the children’s section…. The library is a great place to find new interests, maybe your child just looks at the pictures, or maybe they read it and find a new passion and need something deeper than what the children’s section can offer. {with that though, remind them of the library rules as they are in the teen or adult section… a lot less noise is appreciated}

*Take advantage of what the library has to offer. – There are some awesome programs that the library offers! Things for children and adults. It goes WAY beyond just story time!

*Just GO!!! – I really can’t say that enough. If you want your children to love the library, you have to make it a habit. You have to take them. Maybe it starts out with story time only and then you go home, then maybe you work up to actually checking out books but are there only long enough to get the books and check out…. But if you don’t take your kids they won’t know how to behave in a library, even the little ones will learn with time but they have to be there.

I love the library! My children have learned so many great things from being within the walls of so many books.  And I have too. I enjoy the times that I can go by myself and really look at all the books. But I also love bring the kids and seeing the books that spark their interests, some days it pretty predictable in what they will pick, other days… not so much and they are able to find a gem and start a new series, or great new pictures of something.

I love the wonder within the walls that libraries open up.

What tips do you have when you take your kids to the library?? Please share in the comments.

photo credit: Enokson via photopin cc