When asked to write the October blog for ALSC’s Managing Children’s Services Committee, I wanted to write about an issue that is currently under consideration in my own library. The issue we are discussing is the placement of the children’s desk and how it is staffed. Presently, our children’s librarian has only one desk located in our office area behind the circulation desk with all of the other staff.
I solicited feedback from the wonderful and always helpful PA librarians on the PA-Youth listserv to see where their desks were located, how they were staffed and any pros and cons about their situation. The responses matched my own gut feeling – the importance of having a children’s librarian out in the children’s area far outweighs the drawbacks of such a proposition. One librarian stated, “Having a desk in the children’s space visually defines me as a children’s specialist, which has a slew of benefits, from approachability to showing the overall importance of children’s services”. It has always been my feeling that to develop relationships with caregivers and children, a children’s librarian needs to be present on a continual basis so that positive interactions can happen again and again, making the children’s librarian a trusted source for book recommendations and early literacy advice.
This is not to say that the negatives should be ignored. Children’s librarians who had their desks out in the children’s area reported being faced with periods of constant interruption, noise from train tables, falling blocks and crying toddlers, as well as missing office supplies and the occasional child hiding under their desk. These are legitimate concerns and many librarians wrote that they have designated “off-desk” hours to make phone calls, plan programs, create promotional materials, and order books. After hearing this, we’ve decided that we will add a children’s desk out in the children’s space, but that there will be hours when our children’s librarian will return to her desk in the office to make phone calls and do other essential jobs that need focus and attention.
As our librarian will be working on a laptop at her space, we had to enlist IT to help us decide about network options and whether or not the laptop would have access to our circulation and cataloging modules. Many of the PA librarians said their desk out in the public area is mostly informational and that circulation still happens at the main desk. We’ve decided to use this model until summer reading begins and then hope to use our children’s desk to lessen the summer stress on our main circulation area by providing easy checkout that doesn’t require collecting fees. For this we will have to purchase another scanner and slip printer which cost about $700.00.
After hearing from children’s librarians how many positive relationships they’ve made and sustained by being out in their area, I hope that everyone will find some time to be front and center serving the public. And, if you really want to make a connection with your patrons, feel free to post a sign at your desk like Barbara Flynn’s at Norwin Public Library which reads, PLEASE INTERRUPT ME! I’m sure you’ll get what you ask for – in a positive way!
Cheri Crow
Quarryville Library Center
Ericka
Thank you for this post Cheri. I agree that librarians must be present and available. I am constantly interrupted, and though some days it taxes me, for the most part, I find it rewarding for the customer and for me!