How do I guide my child to use library books responsibly? 

Parenting Perspective 

Begin by fostering a sense of trust, not fear of rules 

Responsibility grows best when a child feels honoured by trust, not burdened by warnings. Present the library card as a symbol of maturity: ‘This card means the library believes you can take care of knowledge’. Let your child hold and scan their own books, reinforcing that it is their privilege. Before borrowing, show them how each book is labelled, stamped, and dated. Explain: ‘These books belong to everyone, so we must return them as clean and strong as we received them’. When children see borrowing as part of a shared trust, they internalise respect more naturally than they would through fear of penalties. 

Build a visible care routine 

Create a ‘book-safe zone’ at home, which could be a shelf or a box designated only for library books. Never mix them with personal ones. You could add a small checklist on the box lid: clean hands, flat surface, no food, and using a page marker instead of folding corners. Make it a tactile activity by letting your child tick or place a sticker on the checklist each time they read. Once a week, conduct a two-minute inspection together to dust the books, straighten them, and check the due dates. Turning care into a ritual keeps the sense of respect alive. 

Teach calm repair and honest returns 

Show your child what to do if damage happens. This could involve taping a page carefully or writing a short note to the librarian that says, ‘I made a mistake and I want to fix it’. Practising honesty about accidents prevents the panic that often leads to hiding the damage. Accompany your child when they explain what happened, and let them feel your quiet pride for telling the truth. Libraries are often very forgiving; what they truly value is integrity. 

Pair privilege with accountability 

Responsibility grows with structure. Allow your child to borrow fewer books than the limit at first, and only increase the number when returns are consistent. Use a visible calendar to mark due dates with coloured stickers. The rule is simple: ‘New books can only come home after the old ones have gone back’. This rhythm teaches reliability without scolding. When your child reminds you about the return dates, acknowledge their maturity by saying, ‘You remembered before I did, that is very responsible’. 

Model respect for borrowed things 

Show your children how you treat your own borrowed items, from recipes to a friend’s kitchen utensil. You can say aloud, ‘This is borrowed, so I will return it polished and clean’. Children imitate respect more than they obey rules. Each time you handle borrowed books gently, you reinforce a lesson that no speech can teach. 

Spiritual Insight 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Baqarah (2), Verse 283: 

‘…And if some of you have trust with each other, then let that person discharge what is interested to him (faithfully), and let him be concerned about (the judgement of) Allah (Almighty) his Sustainer…’ 

This verse elevates every act of returning a borrowed item into a matter of faith. Tell your child that library books are a form of amanah, which is a trust between them, the community, and Allah Almighty. Treating the pages kindly, returning books on time, and speaking the truth about any damage are all ways of fulfilling that sacred duty. 

It is recorded in Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 3534, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Render back the trust to the one who entrusted you, and do not betray the one who betrays you’. 

Explain that even if others are careless, a Muslim must remain faithful to every trust. Handling books responsibly becomes an act of worship, not just good manners. Each return day is a quiet chance to live this Hadith and to show Allah Almighty that we value what is not ours as if it were our own. 

Before going to the library, you can recite together: ‘Bismillah, may we read with care and return with honesty’. When the books are packed to go back, say ‘Alhamdulillah, the trust is completed’. Over time, these small rituals will help your child to see responsibility as something beautiful, not burdensome. They learn that caring for books is caring for knowledge, and that returning them faithfully is a form of gratitude to Allah Almighty, who entrusted us all with learning.