Iowa City Public Library

It all started 6 years ago. I had 6 children under age 9 and I tried to take them to a reading story time for children.

A couple of my boys started acting horribly and I had to take them out of the reading time. Picture this, a baby under 3 months in a stroller with his sister age 3 in the stroller also being pushed in one hand and then me pulling out the 5 and 6 year old boys with the other hand because of rowdiness.

I'm out in the foyer/waiting area and I'm trying to calm Brenden and Jared down. Meanwhile my 8 year old comes out of reading time wondering where I'm at. Then an adult from reading time comes out soon after with Daniel age 7 wondering why I left him in there without an adult. I explained that I was taking out my 5 and 6 year old boys because they were acting badly and had to be talked to. She didn't like that I left Daniel inside alone and she verbally let me have it.

Meanwhile, either sensing that I was upset by this talking to that I received from the library employee or something Alyssa, age 3 began to cry. Then Scott age 3 months because to cry as well.

So I'm in the open area right by check out with two crying children, two sassy children not minding and two older children asking to go back inside the story time and I can't let them go in because I'm the only adult. I make a bottle for Scott, get Alyssa a drink and snack, get Brenden and Jared calmed down and begin to go back to story time.

As I'm going inside the room, another adult that works at the library stops me and says, "We really don't want strollers of this size in here unless you can be in the back. But picture this, the back was full of children. So really there was no where for me to go but up front.

I quietly made my way to the front of the room off to the side as not to distract the rest of the room.

Brenden and Jared started to fight. Enough to the point where I had to once again leave with all 4 children. Shortly followed by Caleb wondering where I was and then Daniel worried again being brought out by yet another employee who has the gall to say to me, "If you can't keep them quiet you will have to leave." I then at this point asked for help. All I needed was Scott to be held so that I could talk to Brenden and Jared again. She wouldn't help me. Then the front desk person seeing that I was making way too much commotion asked me if we needed any books. I told her we didn't have library cards and we had just come for story time, but were basically just kicked out and couldn't go in there because my boys wouldn't stay quiet.

She then said, "Well come over here and I'll get you some cards." We waited in line and all the children just lost it, it was too long to wait and I was told by several employees to keep the kids quiet.

I got fed up with the lack of help which I had asked for several times and in tears I left with all of them and went to the van. I told the children we would NEVER go back.

Never say NEVER.

6 years later after being begged summer after summer to go back I finally attempted it again. Only this time only brought 5 children and they of coarse are all much older and a lot better at minding.

Last week was that first time. They all acted appropriately and apparently quiet enough for their staff to not have a fit that I was back.

I went back again on Tuesday (yesterday) Wow twice in a week to the place that kicked me out 6 years ago. I should get a medal.

Here's what happened:
I was getting Brenden his library card. He wasn't with me last week, he was at scout camp so yesterday he went and got a card, while filling out the papers for the card the front desk lady said, "Do you have something with your current address on it?" I had my license, but it has our old address (yes I need to get that renewed, something I just keep putting off)


Anyway so I was digging in my purse for something with a current address, she was getting huffy and said, "Well do you have anything?" I told her I was looking and I had just gotten library cards for two other children the week before so I'm in the system.

She said, well this is a different day and I need some proof now. I pulled out a credit card paper with my current address. She didn't like that since it didn't have the date it was mailed to me.

So I pulled out our student loan bill. It said on it due 5-9-08 she didn't like that because it wasn't within 30 days, she said, "You should have kept the outside envelope to that." I told her I never do that since that is trash, she then in a very rude tone said, "Well you should have kept it for this." I told her I didn't plan on coming here or I would have brought something else and last week I did have a current power bill to bring in, but now it's paid and gone out of my purse so the receipt is at home.

She was just a real WITCH I couldn't run fast enough to get out of there. They need to fire a bunch of people or something. Couldn't believe it. But I will seriously take action this time by going this Thursday taking down her name, filling out a comment card and turning it in to someone of management. Unbelievable and I'm sick of it.

I never want to go back, but I'm doing it for the children. They love the Library.