In college, the woman seated next to me in history class would usually rock her baby back and forth in his stroller. I liked to bounce him in my arms in-between notes, or pass him off to another classmate with baby fever. But on research days, which were mostly spent in the campus library, everyone tucked themselves under a computer desk and the community effort landed mostly on mom, who managed a few sentences at a time before baby grew restless.
My classmate's experience isn't uncommon. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 22% of all undergraduates are parents, meaning about 1 in 5 students pursuing their bachelor's and associate's degrees are doing so while taking care of kids. And yet, it can be argued that a student's most traditional study space — libraries — aren't all exactly child friendly. Which is why I was thrilled to see this:
A new public library in my area has these work stations for caregivers with babies! Maybe these are common in other places but Ive never seen anything like this before.
Tucked in Virginia, Henrico County Public Library has recently received national attention and praise after a photo of their workstations went viral on Twitter. The stations feature the usual desk, chair, and laptop for busy minds, but also a baby carrel for children to nap or play in while their parent or caregiver works.
It doesn't take much to make people's lives easier. Just a little bit of empathy goes a long way. https://t.co/eP7o1llmQZ
After accumulating nearly a quarter million likes since being shared, parents who viewed the post were filled with emotion and considered how their lives may have been changed had their local libraries offered similar workstations:
@FamiliesFwdVA @Yumalandia I would have broken down in tears had they had these at my library as a new mom…it would have given me…precious time.
And staff at different libraries shared stories of parents seeking work and having to quite literally juggle both their babies and aspirations:
This honestly made me tear up. Six years as a library clerk, you know how many moms I saw trying to hold a baby and type a resume at the same time? https://t.co/olX7AqK30q
When BuzzFeed reached out to Henrico Library, community relations coordinator Patty Conway shared that these carrels were in their plans since architects first started constructing the building's layout before their opening in 2019. "When we were planning the Fairfield Library, we received input from community members of all ages, [and] they really wanted to make sure the space supported young people and families learning," she said.
As a public library, Conway believes that accessibility is a key part of their function in the community, saying: "Working parents are running small businesses, applying for jobs, taking classes and professional exams, registering to vote, paying bills, corresponding with family members, teachers, and employers, reading the news, shopping for themselves and their families, all online."
Though computers may feel commonplace in some people's lives, not everyone has access to them, and it's not hard to imagine how having a crying baby on your lap while trying to type a resume in public may be daunting — especially during COVID times, when more people are out of work and struggling to find a life/work balance. This way, Henrico can provide a space for both caregivers and children to do what they need.
"These workstations are designed to support those of us who are struggling with that balance, at a time when it can feel like there isn't a lot of support out there," Conway concluded. "I hope people know that libraries everywhere are here to help support you and your family with your work and learning, and I would encourage you to see what your library has to offer."
