Hello,
do you live in an urban community where your public library is in close
proximity to
a middle or high school? I am seeking to make contact with such a public
library to get ideas (practical methods & policy-related) for handling the
rowdy, loud profane teens who take over our library each day beginning at
2:35.
In the past year, I personally have been physically assaulted, called filthy
names no lady should ever have directed at her, and threatened more times
than I can count. Not a day goes by that one or more members of our staff do
not end up in the break-room crying over things these kids have said or done.
Yesterday, one of our off-duty, uniformed, armed police officers was
assaulted by a 13 year old girl. Today, we had a large brawl take place in
our library that took 5 police units to break up. I'd like to say this was a
bad week, but it's been par for the course.
We do tell kids they have to leave, but they like to walk slllooowwwwwwly to
the door, yelling, threatening and cussing us out all the way, to the hoots
and applause of the rest of them. Of course, the next day, the director is
bombarded by moms calling protesting their children's innocence, demanding
apologies, and villifying the racist attitudes of staff. I'm sorry, but I
was not aware that objecting to being called a "DUMB F@#$ing, C@#$-A$$ed
B@#$%" for asking a table of kids to "please keep your voices down" was being
racist. The parents do not believe their kid did what they did to get thrown
out. They call us liars to our faces. We are tossing out between 40 to 60
kids a day. We do not have the right to detain them. They are minors. We do
not have the right to touch them to detain them. They can hit us, push us,
spit in our faces, and then walk out. Then come back the next day and do it
again.
One of their favorite stunts is for a group of 10 to 12 to come in, pull
books off the shelves, start throwing them around at staff, each other,
patrons,. Then they run and scatter throughout the library and we run around
looking like fools because we have no idea who did it. As we wander around
trying to figure it out, all the kids are laughing their butts off at us.
(Our library is LARGE--there is no way we can have a staff person in every
area.)
They also like to work in teams. One group will get rowdy near the entrance.
The officer will be diverted there to handle the situation. Simultaneously,
another group will pull off a stunt in the library, scatter, sit down, & they
all "look' innocent. They are firmly in control--not us. When tossed out,
they go outside, switch hats & jackets, come back in, deny they were there
before, and do it again.
most of these kids come to the library because their parents work and they
use us as a free babysitting center until they can come to pick them up. But
then, if I had kids like these, I would be scared to give them a house key
too. The kids take up table space, entertain their friends, and do not use
the resources of the library.
Please do not suggest that I should try to "engage" these kids. I have
tried. They are not the type to come play Book Bingo or watch a movie. When
they do come to a program, it is to see how quickly they can shut it down.
For example, at one of my Teen Movie nights, I was hit in the back of the
head with a can of pop when I turned my back for a moment. I ended the
movie, they threw the refreshments all over the room. After being tossed out,
one of them threw a rock through the library window, shattering it.
Attendance at my programs has been low lately. Parents of the "good" kids
who used to come tell me that their kids are "too scared" to come to the
library anymore. I'm ready to give up. I do a sand art program and they
bring their bottles in to open up and toss in the library. They find a way
to make me regret everything I try to do.
In short, we no longer have a library; we have a Jerry Springer Show.
Anyway, all I need is the name of your public library, contact info, url,
etc. I will make contact with them myself. Thanks for the chance to vent.
Dawn M. Sardes
YA Librarian
Dmsardes@aol.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archive: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
LM_NET Select/EL-Announce: http://www.cuenet.com/archive/el-announce/
LM_NET Supporters: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ven.html
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-
LM_NET
Mailing List Home