Public libraries hold some of my most cherished childhood memories.
I remember getting my first library card and painstakingly writing my name on the back. I remember bringing stacks of books home and my mom putting the list on the fridge so they could all go back on time. I also remember the many, many children’s librarians who answered my questions, helped me find just the right book, and listened to my stories with patience and interest. I knew that I could always go to the children’s desk if I needed help.
This is why I am very saddened by the fact that the Prince George Public Library has done away with the Youth Services Desk in favour of a “one desk model,” in which both the checkout line and information services are at the same counter. It is a model that is not inviting and it does not create a helpful or welcoming space to ask questions. The line that builds behind you causes pressure to make things quick.
There isn’t the same ability to have a conversation and get to know your library staff. The counter is high and intimidating, which makes it a barrier for kids to ask questions. Not everyone staffing the desk has the expertise to answer book recommendation questions, and it is hard to know whom you might need, as you stand in line and wait your turn.
One of the biggest assets our library has is the expertise of our amazing librarians and library assistants. They create a social space for people of all walks of life to access information, lean on social supports, access the internet, attend programming, and create community connections. When you take away their ability to do that to the fullest, it diminishes what a public library is for. With all these factors in mind, I would urge the Prince George Public Library to reverse its decision and go back to having a Youth Services Desk.
It may work for other libraries, and it may work for the grown-ups upstairs, but it doesn’t work for kids, and if we don’t instill a love of the library in our children, there won’t be many grown-ups upstairs in the future.
Andrea Larson
Prince George
