THE lack of toilet and baby-changing facilities in Tavistock Library has been criticised by local mother-of-two Geraldine Scaysbrook.

However, a spokesman for Devon County Council said it was not normal to have toilet facilities in libraries.

Geraldine from Tavistock, wrote to the Times saying that as the mother of a four-month-old baby and three-year-old toddler she wanted to voice her concerns about the lack of such facilities.

'I am particularly incensed by the apparent lack of facilities in our newly-opened public library,' she said.

'As any parent of a toddler knows, when they have got to go they really have got to go and there isn't time to run to the conveniences in Bedford Square. Many a visit to the library must be spoiled, not just for its younger members, by what is after all a quite natural occurrence.'

Mrs Scaysbrook maintained that in this so-called consumer age toilet facilities were 'a basic human right that we should expect to find at the very least in every public-owned building'. Any small charge would be well worth it, she said, adding that she would not be alone in choosing to patronise only family-friendly establishments.

For changing babies, a table was invaluable as trying to do this on the floor was not practical.

However, a spokesman for Devon County said the council had consulted with West Devon Borough Council when it developed the whole complex.

As there were toilet facilities in the nearby bus station, car park and Wharf it was decided that it would be better to avoid the extra expense and concentrate on providing books, computers and other facilities for the library.

'There is a disabled access toilet at the library and if someone was desperate staff would use their discretion,' he said.

If additional facilities had been provided they would have needed maintaining, which would have been a further

expense.

Librarian-in-chargeMoira Andrews confirmed that the disabled access toilet was available for use by anyone — adult or child — in an emergency. "All they have to do is ask — and they do" , she said.

'It is a regular occurrence.'

Although there were no baby-changing facilities, the cubicle was 'very wide'.