Irresponsible working parents who leave their young children at the public library all day during school holidays are being warned to act with care -- or face the possibility of answering to the authorities.

Head Librarian Joanne Brangman said management had been forced to introduce a special policy following a number of incidents where children under the age of 11 had been left unattended for an entire day.

She said although the library was a public place -- parents, therefore, were not breaking the law -- the youngsters got bored and could become a nuisance.

But Miss Brangman said the real problems arose if parents had to work late and were delayed in collecting their children.

She said that led to librarians, many with their own children, being unable to go home to their families because they had to act like social workers, waiting for the absent parents to arrive.

But Miss Brangman said, if repeated telephone calls to trace the parents failed and children had not been collected in some considerable time, then staff could be forced to call in the authorities.

At the moment, management is discussing how to handle the problems and who they should report to if they are left stranded with somebody else's children.

The chief librarian said: "This is a problem with libraries all over the world, especially during the summer.

"A huge percentage of mothers in Bermuda work and so face problems with child care once the school vacations begin.

"They consider the library to be safe and warm and somewhere where their children can read books and play games on the computers.

"They come in the morning on their way to work and drop off their youngsters, then come back at lunchtime and take them out, and then come back in the evening to take them home. But sometimes they are late, and the librarians are not babysitters.

"We have waited for an hour or more before. It is very inconvenient. What we have decided to do now is try to call the parents during the day to try to get them to come and pick up their children on time, before we close.'' And she said if parents were repeatedly late then staff may have to consult with the authorities.

Miss Brangman said the thoughtless parents were from a variety of walks of life, and most children that were left were under the age of 11.

Besides the fact they can become bored and a nuisance to staff, they are free to come and go from the library in Queen Street, Hamilton, without any supervision. Miss Brangman added: "We are not saying this happens all the time, but it does happen.

"We would just ask parents to try to find other arrangements for their children when they are working, or, at the very least, be on time.

"It is not that we are uncaring or unsympathetic, but some of the librarians have children, too, and must get home for them in the evening.'' Sheelagh Cooper, Chairman of the Coalition for the Protection of Children, said the issue highlighted the lack of affordable childcare on the Island.

But she also raised concerns about young children being left to entertain themselves all day in the city centre. She said: "Besides the fact that this is misuse of the library as it is not a babysitting service, it is not adequate childcare at all.

"If people think that when they drop their child off they are being properly cared for, they are wrong.

"I'm surprised that the library is prepared to accept these children without any supervision, but it is a good job that they do, I suppose, because they are obviously fulfilling a need.

"It's tragic that women are in that position. It highlights a very serious problem of available childcare.'' Health and Family Services Minister Nelson was not available for comment last night.