As more and more programs for toddlers and preschoolers are opting to go food-free, some libraries are doing the same in their kids’ book sections and storytime areas. Asking patrons to take a break from snacking for a few moments can make a world of difference for young children with food allergies, and also keep books and library materials from being damaged.
“We love reading, browsing through shelves or studying in a library, and we want our children to value the public library as we do,” says Jyoti Parmar, whose two young children have multiple food allergies. Jyoti found that she was spending much of her time at the library trying to make sure her children didn’t touch or eat the foods that other toddlers were snacking on. “Parents were feeding their children either at the reading tables or following them around the book sections trying to feed them, while the children [played with] books and toys.”
Jyoti and her husband (who live in Markham, Ontario) approached their library system to talk about their experiences and come up with a solution that would work for everyone. “We gave a presentation which showed the effects on families like ours and pointed out that most libraries in Markham are located in community centres, with lots of room to relax and eat, away from the books and reading tables, “ said Jyoti. “Many Board members were surprised at the way the books were affected and immediately expressed support for our ideas.”
At a recent Board meeting, the Markham Public Library Board approved a pilot program for a food-free children’s area at its Cornell Library branch. The pilot is scheduled to begin in February and will be reported upon at the Library’s board meeting in May. According to the Board: “The report will include the results of a customer survey, staff input, enforceability in general, door counts, program attendance, monitoring of social media discussions and our online customer satisfaction survey comments.”
Jyoti and her family feel “grateful for the pilot project,” and thankful that the library was so proactive. They are hopeful that it will catch on at other libraries in the area as well.
Kudos to the Markham Public Library for coming up with this simple and effective pilot program! We will keep you updated about the project after the library’s report in May.
Tags: food free, library, markham