iIf you’ve been in the Harvard Public Library around 2:30 p.m. on a school day, you’ve probably seen an abrupt change in the library’s population. You may have noticed adults hastily packing up their laptops or leaving with their book selections. Then, with the arrival of 30 to 80 middle- and high-schoolers, the decibel level rises sharply. Some kids soon settle down to do homework; others do not.
The Library Board of Trustees is seriously concerned with the after-school situation as it has developed over the past several years. Our concerns involve two basic areas: one, the safety and security of the students in a public building; and two, appropriate behavior so that all our patrons—students and adults alike—can use the library successfully.
On the issue of security, the library’s goal is to provide a safe space for all patrons, with a particular sense of responsibility for our younger users. But, by the nature of a public library, we are open to everyone. Unlike a school, where it is fairly easy to notice someone who is not part of the regular community, the general public comes into the library. Students, too, are free to come and go, alone and in groups. While parents may think their kids are at the library the full time from 2:30 p.m. until pick-up, that may not be so.
Even with volunteer help, our staff is spread very thin. The student/librarian ratio is much higher than the student/teacher ratio at Bromfield. In addition, students at the library may be spread over several floors, where they are not always visible to library personnel. We see the need to maintain awareness of where the kids are, what they are doing, and with whom they are interacting as a major security issue.
The second issue is student behavior in the library. Many adult patrons say that they cannot work in the library once students arrive, because of the noise and disruption. Other patrons have let us know they completely avoid our library and go to libraries in neighboring towns because of the chaos caused by disorderly students. At least one parent has told us that she does not allow her child to use the library at this time of day.
While many behavior issues arise simply from excess energy, some of the problems are, frankly, pretty serious. We’ve had physical bullying of smaller children, deliberate vandalism, and damage that was accidental but nonetheless costly. We are also concerned about students who disregard the usual norms for behavior in a library or respond disrespectfully to library staff members.
In general we are glad to have a large student presence at the library—especially since many libraries find it difficult to attract students at all. We know that these are good kids with a lot of energy. Often the problem is just a lack of maturity and training. The staff has told us that, by and large, older students use the library appropriately. But we are compelled to take steps to deal with the relatively small number who behave inappropriately.
After lengthy discussions in trustee meetings and summertime meetings with school staff and administrators, we are testing out some new procedures when school opens:
- The first time a student comes to the library after school, he or she will receive a copy of the Library Code of Conduct. Both the student and his/her parent or guardian should sign the Code of Conduct. In addition, the parent or guardian should provide a telephone number where he/she can be reached during the after-school hours, in case of emergency. Without this signed form on file, a student cannot spend the after-school hours at the library.
- Students will be required to sign in when they arrive at the library after school. As soon as school IDs are issued, students will be asked to show them as they arrive. A student who enters and leaves the building over and over, rather than settling down to do homework or read, may be asked to leave for the day.
In addition to these practices, the trustees will continue to consider other options. One possible policy would be limiting attendance to the seating capacity of the library. (Currently, students often sit in groups on the floor.) Another possibility, adopted by many libraries around the nation, would be to treat the library as a “place of purpose”—where everyone is expected to be doing something clearly related to the library’s function, whether that is reading a magazine, using a computer, or doing schoolwork.
The upcoming drop-in center at the Bromfield School will give middle-school students who don’t specifically need library resources another after-school option, and we are very grateful to school administrators and the School Committee for moving ahead with that center so quickly.
Finally, the library should never be the only place a student can go after school. After all, anything from a furnace breakdown to a power failure might force an emergency closing. Or a student who has repeatedly violated the Code of Conduct might be required to leave. Families and students should always have a backup plan, whether it is the new drop-in center, a friend’s house, a person who can provide a ride home, or a way to reach a parent on short notice.
We want to develop and improve our procedures so that residents of all ages can use the library comfortably and productively during its full range of open hours. We welcome ideas and assistance from all community members—students, parents, other library patrons, and the general public. Establishing a safe after-school environment, with appropriate norms of behavior, is not an issue just for the library or the schools; it is a community issue..
Marty Green is chair of the Harvard Public Library Board of Trustees
and a resident of Old Littleton Road.
