Do you still have to be quiet in a library?

[Enko]

Dh and I are in our 50s and were both brought up (2 different countries) with libraries being quiet studious places.

Lately we have noticed a change in this. Are others finding this?

Is it now normal for libraries to not be quiet spaces /or have quiet spaces?

Where else can you go for a quiet space to study if not the library and you are not able to do so at home?

The quiet study area in the library. There should be one, although in my local library they decided to put it opposite the enquiry desk which isn't great. It is upstairs and away from the kids' library though.

Two women sat down in the work area where he and 1 other person was working. DH said he could hear their chatter through his headphones. The other person left after exchanging glances with dh. DH left too

Oh well that was just the usual entitled behaviour - a bit like ignoring the fact you are in a quiet carriage on a train because you can. But generally the quiet study area of a library is for quiet study so if you want to chat you go elsewhere.

And why should one users preferance be allowed to exclude another user from accessing the space at all? My toddler could read at home but not all homes are safe and warm, if you demand silance you remove one of the few public spaces where you don't need to spend money from families who might reallyneed it. A child being read to does not prevent someone from studying, but if the studyers preferance for science is adhered to, that would prevent the space been usable for young children.

Larger town libraries will usually have a separate quiet room/ area but this is not generally possible in smaller libraries. If you want children to use them - and surely you do- then you have to expect a certain amount of noise and chatter. That said, there will be times when it’s quieter. Obviously, avoid scheduled rhyme and story times if you need quiet. Libraries are one of the few remaining spaces which are free and open to everyone.

To those who are referencing reading to toddlers in a library, I think we'd all agree that that's part and parcel of acceptable library use. But presumably you don't allow your toddlers to run up and down the aisles shrieking and pulling books off shelves, which is something I (and other pps, from the sound of it) have witnessed in libraries?

Well, I've never lived in a yurt, trailer or palace; my experience is limited, like most people.
My living spaces have included flatshare with noisy students, house with noisy neighbours on both sides, house with several small children, a difficult marriage and house with no heating.
I have usually studied in bed or curled up on sofa. It never occurred to me to get on the bus with all my books and go into town library.

No, not everyone does agree - at least two people have suggested that parents of toddlers borrow books and go home to read them

Fair point. 'I think many of us would agree' is probably a fair statement though.

I work in a library and I also miss the peace. However, libraries across the country are struggling to survive, so if we insisted on silence we wouldn't have many customers.

The majority of library users are children, computer users and the elderly, most of whom don't require absolute quiet.

I do occasionally have to tell groups of teenagers to keep it down and they're usually much quieter after that. So my shushing skills are still in use 😄

I work in public libraries and have worked in a University library a few years ago. None are silent spaces but the larger public libraries do have quiet zones. There are often times of day to avoid (after school, during baby/toddler reading times etc.) if you want it to be quieter. Ask the library staff when the quieter times are. There are also often local history/research rooms in larger libraries that tend to be very quiet to work in.

Libraries are multi use community spaces now as councils have to justify the cost of keeping them open. They do this by attracting as many people into them as possible and using them for lots of different purposes. The days of shushing people and glaring at them for making any sound are long gone thankfully!

During lockdown our academic library remained open as some students needed a place to study and some needed wifi.
We have one location on campus that is open 24 hours because students want it.

I worked at a very large public library and it was so difficult to please everyone. We did have a study space but mostly as someone else has said, it was occupied by homeless, people with MH problems, and substance misuse.

Silent? You’ll be lucky. These days there’ll be a drag queen sashaying around the place.

We’re not in Kansas any more.

My teen and I were waiting for my little one to go to the loo located in the adult section of the library. We were looking through one of the children's books and had a right giggle at one in particular.

We were shushed😳

@JanetSally toddlers accessing libraries is a fantastic experience for them beyond the action of reading the book. They get the experience of choosing books, learning how to 'borrow' them. Seeing people reading. Interaction with staff. There's also often toys/activities/sessions available at libraries. A library is a free activity in a warm place. With staff who can support. That can be vital for some parents. As well as this libraries often support the elderly, the lonely, people who are struggling. We can't do this with draconian regimented rules about silence.

Ha ha! You are kidding, right?

Small children in one area singing etc

Tables for school kids to do homework (involves much bellowing and shrieking) the elderly bellowing at each other and one or two mental health patients I recognise that often have an argument or 'lively' conversation with the staff.

I realise things change but I do prefer the old days!!!

Oh dear, I sound a right grumps and I do realise studying places and places for kids to go are really needed. I benefitted from using the computers.

Not sure jf there is a quiet place. It might have meant to be upstairs but this is where the teenagers really let kff steam and a librarian has to go up to ask them to keep the noise down.

The library we used to go to had Rhyme Time for toddlers & babies (singing & general noise), Story Time for preschoolers (noisy), lego club after school for older kids, bridge club, jigsaw club and other social gatherings for retired people. So quite noisy at times, but quiet at others. More a case of check what's on when and avoid those times if you want quiet, usually during the day before schools are out.

This has got a lot of views. For me I still feel its ok to expect lower voices in a library even from toddlers. It's possible to teach them. Where indoor voices are needed to be used. You can read a book "aloud' without being loud imo. In this particular library the children's section is on a different floor so isn't a issue this was grown up we were talking about.

The place dh was in was the study area and was why we asked the question is it no longer expected .

In the case of a library with a separate study space, you are entirely reasonable to expect noise to be kept to at an absolute minimum and I would also ask staff to enforce this if people were deliberately being loud and disturbing me

Libraries have huge funding issues, staffing issues and managing expectations. Since the first round of austerity hit services, libraries have been the one space everyone is welcome without charge. Staff are now welcoming and helping people who a few years ago would never have been expected to tackle the world by themselves. Also having to field questions about benefits etc and yes also anti-social behaviour.

Adding to this most libraries clientele could be summed up as poppets and pensioners. Two very different groups with very different needs and balancing those is really hard.