Library Help Please

[AngelaVA]

Yes, this belongs here. I am so bad at keeping up with the library. My kids are a disaster at the library so I end up trying to find time to go by myself which is difficult to ever make happen so I am constantly ending up with late fees and then I give up on going because it would be cheaper just to buy books than pay late fees all the time. I am homeschooling now, we really need more variety in books, I need to try this again. Schedules being what they are, if I'm to go to the library, I've got to do it with my kids with me. The main problem I think is that they don't understand the gray area, like that they can walk around, but they can't run around, that they can go a little ways away from me, but they can't go to the other side of the library and hide, that they can take a book of the shelf, but not empty the shelf or leave a trail of discarded books behind them, that they can talk, but not talk super loud (my 5 year old really has only has two volumes, loud and screaming). The other thing that makes it hard is that if a librarian fusses at them, my 5 year old will get really scared and immediately because massively and inconsolably hysterical and make a huge scene, she has special needs and from her perspective she is trying really hard and doing really well so she is sort of crushed when she finds out someone else doesn't think so. I know I need to teach them how to be at the library but I don't really know how to start in a way that's not going to end in disaster. What are you library rules and routines for your children and how did you teach them?

[Victorious]

My biggest help has been finding a smaller library with an enclosed kid's section. It's the next town over; perhaps you can library shop?

Does your church have a small library? Perhaps you could practice reshelving, one book at a time there.

Maybe you could find a library video on YouTube?

That's all I've got atm

[Love_Is_Patient]

Can you access your library's catalogue online? If so, then you could do all your browsing on-line and know exactly which books you want, go grab them and head out. More like a grocery trip than a library trip, with one extra rule--we use quiet voices (or whisper) in a library. You could even try reserving books in advance, and then they'd be waiting at the counter for you (I know you can do this with books that are currently checked out; I don't know if any libraries will actually reserve books for you if they are currently on the shelf.)

Even without special needs, browsing books at a library with a 2.5 yr old is not something I would attempt very often.

If doing quiet voices for brief trips works, then you could gradually increase the amount of time you can spend there; maybe identify a single shelf you think your older one might be interested in, and allow her to pick two books herself to check out, or something.

On-line book renewal saved us quite a bit of money, when I would frantically realize 'the library books are due! We can't get there until Saturday!'

:hug hope you can find a way that works for you.

[Aerynne]

I order all my holds online and pick them up at the library. That way I don't have to browse at all and I can just watch my kids. I let my kids each pick as many books as how old they are.

Could you practice with a super short trip first and then work up? We're going to go in, each pick a book, not say anything, and leave. Next time it's a bit longer, etc.

[klpmommy]

i do a lot of online looking & renewing. And I can return books outside from my car so we can usually avoid fines.

Going to the library, :sigh. It just isn't happening enough now. In MI we had a great library where the kid section was separate and the children's librarians were understanding of kids. The library here isn't like that and it is nearly impossible to go.

[bliss]

I guess I have been taking my library for granted! We have a whole children's floor where it's assumed kids will act, well, like kids!

AFA the organizational aspect, I have trouble with that part too, so I've instituted some protocols:
-one day of the week is 'library day'. That makes the math on due dates easier if you always only check out on Tuesdays.
-one batch of books out at a time. No returning some at one time and checking more out. I check out the maximum and they all stay out until they all go back. One due date = one day to remember, which leads me to:
-no 'specialty' books that have different due dates :no
-ALL BOOKS STAY IN THE LIVING ROOM. Tyrannical as it may appear, NO BOOKS MAY GO OUT OF THE LIVING ROOM. Seriously. For reals. It has cut down on lost books by roughly a squillion percent :yes.
-the checkout receipt stays with the books, in the living room. That way on return day I can count off books and make sure I'm returning everything at once.

[mamacat]

What helped me most was reserving books online ahead as someone mentioned and having dh pick up or just run in quickly and pick up or go to Childrens section only where they dont have to be so quiet and pick up stuff for me at reserve desk as mentioned.Also we did book mobiles - no one waas quiet there and we had well-stocked but compact so didnt have to look and look.Smaller branch libraries worked better for us also than the main big branch.Our library doesnt fine and I would frequentlylnot get stuff back until the late notice but if we went on a regular schedule it helps to get stuff back on time

[Mamalu]

Search the online catalog and reserve books online.

Does your library have a children's story hour or story time? That might be fun for them and a safe place to practice.

[nessnco]

We played traffic lights red is stop like a statue right where you are, orange - slow down or walk slowly and green - full steam ahead.

We practiced at home till everyone had it down pat - green was when we were walking down streets or on a nature walk. Library was orange and if they were forgeting it would be red to refocus them. I started when my son was born so the girls were nearly 6, nearly four and 18 months and they all could do it.

Another thing could be to go for 5 mins then 10 etc till you are able to go find books yourself. DD2 and DD3 (both have impulse control issues :clap which taught me heaps) stayed with me most of the time we would get their books then they would look at them when I was choosing. My DS spent time in the library alone before DD2 and DD3 so its about working out what works for each child.