Jesse Carliner and Kyla Everall Playtime at Robarts Library Opening a family-friendly study space at the University of Toronto

f academic libraries are sincere about their 24.4 hours for men.3 Given that the burden Icommitment to equity and inclusion, they of childcare primarily falls to women, lack must become more accessible for student of academic library support for parenting parents—a large and underserved population students disproportionately impacts women whose members may also have other margin- and has a negative effect on equitable access alized identities. Although accommodating to library resources and services, as well as children may seem to be outside the scope of overall learning and research opportunities. academic libraries’ mandate, if we are to fully At the University of Toronto, parenting stu- support research and learning on campus, we dents expressed that they have had to choose must try to reduce obstacles for parenting stu- their classes based on their childcare schedules dents however we can, including welcoming and the type of course work involved. Group their children into our libraries. To address this projects, for example, pose a challenge, be- need, the University of Toronto Libraries re- cause they may require students to arrange cently opened Canada’s first academic library additional childcare. Accessing services that family-friendly study space. are only available in person, such as consulta- tions with a librarian, can also be difficult to Parenting students in the United States arrange, due to the challenges and expense and Canada of finding childcare. In the United States, 4.8 million undergradu- ate students are raising children,1 and there What are libraries doing? is a trend among U.S. institutions that cater There are few services to support parent- to so-called nontraditional students to pro- ing students in academic libraries. In Cana- vide family-friendly library study spaces. da, some universities have activity packs or Information about the number of students child-friendly resources that children can use in Canada who are parents is not collected while their parents study.4,5 One has a cor- systematically, creating an invisible popula- ner in its basement where parents can bring tion. However, in the 2016 Canadian Gradu- their children,6 but there are no dedicated, ate and Professional Student Survey, 49.3% of respondents reported that family obligations were an obstacle to success, with 14.3% re- Jesse Carliner is communications and user services porting that they were a major obstacle.2 librarian, email: [email protected], and Kyla According to Statistics Canada, Canadian Everall is user services librarian, email: kyla.everall@ utoronto.ca, at the University of Toronto Libraries women spend on average 50.1 hours per week on unpaid childcare, compared to © 2019 Jesse Carliner and Kyla Everall

C&RL News February 2019 100 secured study spaces available for parenting they were not welcome. When students did students. Such rooms are more commonly bring their children to the library, this would found in smaller American universities and occasionally create conflict with other users colleges, as well as European academic li- over noise issues. braries. In the 2016 the University of Toronto Li- In particular, there is a noticeable gap braries LibQUAL+ survey, the library received among the libraries at top-ranked research- a comment from a doctoral student requesting intensive universities. A review of the websites that the library provide a designated study of the top 25 ARL libraries found only one space for students with children, citing many mention of family-friendly space.7 such spaces that they had seen in European universities. The University of Toronto context According to The University of Toronto’s The University of Toronto is a public re- Family Care Office, although the majority of search-inten- graduate stu- sive univer- dents at the sity spread University of over three Toronto are campuses in women,10 and around there were Toronto, On- previously no tario, Can- academic ser- ada. From vices or spac- 2017 to 2018, es for parents the universi- who may ty had a total have need- enrolment of ed to bring 90,077 stu- their children dents.8 The to campus. University Therefore, of Toronto the Universi- A selection of tweets responding to the opening of the Robarts Libraries sys- ty of Toronto Library Family Study Space. tem is the Libraries de- largest academic library in Canada and is cided to address this need by developing a ranked sixth among peer institutions in North family-friendly study space in Robarts Library. America.9 The system consists of 44 libraries, with around 500 librarians and paraprofes- Proposing the space sional staff members. In our large and complex library system, a Prior to the development of the Family family-friendly study space did not fit neatly Study Space, the John P. Robarts Library, the within any one department’s responsibilities largest on campus and the primary social or expertise. Developing the space would sciences and humanities library, had a policy require cross-departmental collaboration for allowing children 12 and under to accompany successful completion and operation. The their parents to the closed stacks. The policy, project team comprised of staff from the li- however, was not posted publicly in the brary’s public services departments, library building or on the website. Under this policy, facilities, and the university’s Family Care children had to be accompanied by a caregiver Office. In order address the administrative at all times. Although children were allowed challenges to developing the space, the proj- in the library, the lack of a publicly posted ect team proposed the project directly to policy may have created the impression that the chief librarian who had set aside money

February 2019 101 C&RL News from the operating budget to fund innovative intended user population, the space was ideas that did not fit within the library’s orga- developed in an enclosed room accessible nizational or budgetary structures. only by key fob. Renovations to the room In order to secure approval, the team also included painting, upgraded tamper needed to address concerns about liability and resistant electrical outlets, low emission risk management regarding children in the li- carpet, and improvements to the room’s brary. The team reached out to the University ventilation system. As part of the project, of Toronto Family Care Office to ask them to nearby nursing facilities were upgraded. serve in an advisory capacity on the project To make the room comfortable and and to address concerns about risk manage- enjoyable for children, we provided ment and liability. The Family Care Office child-sized furniture, toys, and a mat and assured the foam ring for library that infants and there were toddlers. We no additional also stocked liabilities or the room risk to having with a “take- children in a-book, the library. As leave-a- in any public book” library space, care- of children’s givers are re- books. We sponsible for chose this the safety and model in or- behavior of der to avoid their children the compli- at all times. cations of The chief li- University of Toronto Family Study Space Robarts Library. Francesca creating a brarian also Kennedy/University of Toronto Libraries. special loca- consulted with the university administration, tion in the catalog that is only accessible who were very enthusiastic in their support. to users of the Family Study Space.

Creating the space Managing the space In designing the space, the team envi- We developed the Family Study Space us- sioned a room that would work for as age policies so that the space could be many users and their children as pos- self-monitored, flexible, and operated in sible- from small children, to older chil- accordance with existing library and uni- dren, to users working alone or on group versity policies. In the process of estab- projects. Additionally, the room would lishing the policies, we consulted with ideally have the same features and tech- other libraries with similar spaces to learn nology that our other group study rooms from their experiences. We discovered and study spaces had. that there were a wide variety of mod- With these considerations in mind, the els for access and use. Some libraries re- room was furnished with presentation quired that their family room be reserved facilities, white boards, comfortable seat- in advance, while others were first-come, ing, and workstations. The space was also first-served. We also found that there were soundproofed to avoid noise complaints some rooms that were child-friendly, but from other users. To ensure the safety not reserved for the exclusive use of par- of children and reserve the space for the enting students.

C&RL News February 2019 102 The library decided that the room would caregivers resonated across the universi- be for the sole-use of the University of To- ty, Canada, and internationally. ronto affiliated caregivers (students, staff, The announcement generated a great and faculty) with children 12 and under, deal of discussion, positive feedback, who would be required to register for an and engagement on social media and in access fob. The room would be available university and local news outlets. The for use on a first-come, first-served basis response indicated considerable interest at any time that the library was open. In and demand for family friendly services order to avoid creating additional barriers at academic libraries and within higher to access, reservations are not required. education. Many former students, both The room policy emphasized that chil- from the University of Toronto and else- dren were not to be left unattended in where, commented via social media about the room or anywhere in the library, and how a family-friendly study space would that caregivers are solely responsible for have made a significant difference for their children. them while they were in school. Current Since the room is unstaffed and self- students from other universities engaged monitored, signage was posted to com- with their school social media channels municate room use policies, including how to ask for a similar space. The creation to report maintenance issues and deal with of the Robarts Library Family Study Space emergencies. Cleaning wipes are available also started a dialogue within the Canadian in the room to encourage users to clean up library and higher education communities small spills on tables and desks. about students with children and what can Registration and fob access is man- be done to support them. More than 100 aged by the department responsible for registrations have been received so far the graduate student carrels in the library. for the end of the spring and start of the The carrel office processes the registration summer academic terms, and even more applications, confirms eligibility status and registrations are anticipated with the start distributes the fobs. Users can register of the next academic year. online at any time of the year. We will conduct both formal and in- Conclusion formal assessment of the space to make According to the University of Toronto’s service improvements and evaluate the Family Care Office, student parents usu- success of the room. Starting in the next ally face three main obstacles while pur- academic year, we will offer research suing their post-secondary education: consultations with librarians in the space, childcare, financial issues, and time man- in response to feedback that consultations agement. Family-friendly study spaces in can be difficult to schedule for parenting academic libraries address all three of students. these concerns for parenting students, while also supporting the research, teach- Promoting the space ing, and learning missions of higher edu- The library opened the space with a re- cation institutions. ception, and promoted it on social me- The library received a comment from a dia as well as through print marketing user who called the Family Study Space, a materials at the library and around the “very important and much needed space as university. The central message was that child care is so scarce and expensive. I can the library welcomes the children of our bring my kid and get some work done.” academic community members. This mes- Family-friendly study spaces unequivo- sage and the news that there was a space designed especially for children and their (continues on page 111)

February 2019 103 C&RL News research libraries have a social responsibil- 3. Retrieved October 9, 2017, from http:// ity to preserve and present cultural heritage www.unesco.org/new/en/cairo/culture collections for the benefit of the peoples who /tangible-cultural-heritage/. created and donated the contents, keeping 4. Retrieved October 9, 2017, from http:// in mind the originator’s purpose and intent. www.cultureindevelopment.nl/cultural It is our privilege to work with them and to _heritage/what_is_cultural_heritage. creatively share their stories as appropriate. 5. Simon Thurley, “Into the future, Our strategy for 2005-2010,” in Conservation Bul- Notes letin [English Heritage], 2005 (49). 1. This article was adapted in part from 6. Herold, “Leveraging Cultural Collec- a talk given September 28, 2017, at Oberlin tions,” 2–3. College, where I served as a consultant for 7. See https://www.keene.edu/news their Andrew W. Mellon Foundation plan- /stories/detail/1345061446198/. ning grant, Strengthening Collaborations Be- 8. See http://library.manoa.hawaii.edu tween Academic Art Museums and Libraries. /departments/archives/mss/aja/. 2. Irene Herold, July 2016, “Leveraging 9. See https://commons.keene.edu Cultural Collections,” Library Issues, 36(6). /handle/20.500.12088/91.

(“Playtime at Robarts Library,” continues from page 103) cally communicate the message that you /n1/pub/89-503-x/2010001/article/11546/tbl can be a student and a parent. Welcoming /tbl006-eng.htm. the whole student to the library and the 4. Sonya, “Introducing the RULA Busy university increases inclusion. Creating Box!,” Ryerson University Library and Archives, family-friendly spaces helps libraries fur- accessed July 6, 2018, https://library.ryerson.ca/ ther their mission to provide equitable ac- blog/2018/03/introducing-the-rula-busy-box/. cess to information for their communities. 5. “PGSS Family Collection,” McGill Li- brary, accessed July 6, 2018, https://www. Notes mcgill.ca/library/channels/news/pgss-family 1. Elizabeth Noll, Lindsey Reichlin, Bar- -collection-230976. bara Gault, College Students with Children: 6. “Library Supports and Reference As- National and Regional Profiles (Washing- sistance,” University of Alberta, accessed July ton, D.C.: Institute for Women’s Policy Re- 6, 2018, https://www.ualberta.ca/augustana search, 2017), 1, https://iwpr.org/wp-content /services/aso/programs-and-services/library. /uploads/2017/02/C451-5.pdf. 7. “Family Friendly Spaces Campus 2. Canadian Graduate and Professional Guidelines,” University of Washington Both- Student Survey–2016: Summary Report, ell, accessed July 6, 2018, www.uwb.edu All Respondents (Canadian Associations /administration-planning/auxiliary-services for Graduate Students, 2016), 11, www. /family-friendly-space. cags.ca/documents/cgpss/2016/NATIONAL 8. “Quick Facts,” University of Toronto, _CGPSS_2016_REPORT_ALL.pdf. accessed July 6, 2018, https://www.utoronto. 3. Statistics Canada, “Time spent on ca/about-u-of-t/quick-facts. unpaid care of a child in the household, by 9. https://www.arlstatistics.org/analytics. working arrangement and age of youngest 10. University of Toronto, Facts and child, Canada, 2010,” table 6 in Women in Figures 2017 (Toronto: University of Toronto, Canada: A Gender-Based Statistical Report, n.d.): 35. https://www.utoronto.ca/sites Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 89-503-X /default/files/Facts%20%26%20Figures (Jul. 2011), https://www150.statcan.gc.ca %202017%20online%20version.pdf.

February 2019 111 C&RL News