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A far cry from peaceful at library

March 3, 2008 - 1:58am — Blake

Kevin Cowherd wonders Whatever happened to libraries being quiet places?: When I was a kid, the library was so quiet I thought they were going to hand out Communion. Now, anything goes. You have teenagers horsing around while they prep for the SATs. You have toddlers running all over the place like it's their private indoor track. You have middle-aged people pecking away on computers with their big, fat fingers while shouting: "How do you get to Google?"

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March 3, 2008 - 8:38am — Anonymous (not verified)

Why does it have to be peaceful?!

Several years ago, when in library school, I had a subscription to "Wilson Library Bulletin." It used to occasionally have a "centerfold" section, one of which I kept and still have. It said (in BIG black letters)...."Talking ---- the sound of learning"

Why would anyone expect a library to be a hush-hush place? The rest of the world isn't!

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March 3, 2008 - 10:07am — JJR (not verified)

some libraries still enforce quiet "zones"

previous poster wrote:

"Why would anyone expect a library to be a hush-hush place? The rest of the world isn't!"

You answered your own rhetorical question: "The rest of the world isn't [a quiet place]! [which is] Why [you] would...expect [at least] a library to be a hush-hush place!", i.e. a sanctuary away from the hustle-bustle of the everyday.

The few times I've lately been to my local public library, it's been reasonably quiet inside.

In other public libraries in my parent's hometown, the children's section is, as should be expected, quite noisy, while the adult section is agreeably quiet. The computer labs are reasonably quiet except for the incessant mass clackety-clack of typing keys.

Of course, I'm a curmudgeonly cataloger, so in my work environment you can practically hear a pin drop.

And seriously, yes, in my academic library, I accept that talking can also be a sign of collaboration and learning, and that's fine, it has its place. But we do still stake out a sanctuary for the individual learner seeking quiet peace...our 3rd floor is maintained as a quiet zone, no cellphones, no talking above a whisper. Same is true at the other academic library across town at our other major university here; their 1st floor (where circ and the ref desk is located) is noisy with activity, but 2nd floor and above, Shhhhh. It's a fair compromise, I think.

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March 3, 2008 - 11:13pm — Anonymous (not verified)

Noisy academic libraries.

A few years ago I was in the very unhappy position of being a part time reference librarian at a large, urban community college where the newbie director was too afraid to take a position on noise and library decorum - scared that he might offend either the faculty or the students.
As the night school was very busy with, mainly, older students who came to study before and after class - that was one group that, in my mind, had to be protected.
Protected from who?
Well, that would be the younger night school students and some hangers on from late afternoon day school who were just came to the library to goof around, watch porn, do Myspace, flirt, talk on their cellphones, play video games, etc.
The latter would get very loud as the evening went on and it was my fine job to keep them quiet so the former could do their work.
Timid, political hack director refused to take a stand on anything other than create one tiny room (for 3 people) as a "quiet zone" - the rest of the huge, multi floor library was up for grabs.
I was alone and always the "bad guy" trying to make the big mouths be quiet - as they would get quite loud, hollering, screeching, etc - they hated me.
Then when I would let things slide a little bit (if they weren't being TOO loud) I would get complaints from the older students - "please DO something about THEM!"
Ugh - glad I quit.
Ironically, "timid man" (who, can you guess, was quite hateful towards his staff) had all manner of signs posted all over the place re: QUIET and NO FOOD OR DRINKS NO OFFENSIVE WEBSITES NO GAME PLAYING NO CELL PHONES
What a joke - that was all the norm rather than the exception.
What a hell hole.
Oh, and he hated "bricks and mortar" libraries, too. It "all" should be on the computer (he came from the IT department.

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March 3, 2008 - 1:47pm — Dan (not verified)

duh?

Hasn't this guy ever heard of quiet study rooms?

Honestly, people want everything from their libraries, everything. The antiquated, blanket archetype of the "quiet library" may not be applicable to everyone, depending on the mission of the library and the community they serve. (Especially a public library!)

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March 3, 2008 - 6:40pm — sarahmae

Quiet Study Rooms

We have an adult quiet study room and some patrons get mad when you tell them that they can go in there to escape the afternoon noise. That is not to say that I don't let people know when they are too loud but our library is one big room with high ceilings, so when you get enough people talking, even in normal voices, it can be loud.

"Everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds"

-Candide by Voltaire

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