To hate the new Do It Yourself libraries

[Behindthepaintedgarden]

Our lovely local library, with nice cheerful assistants who nonetheless ensure that noise is kept at a reasonable level, and a nice cosy peaceful feel with elderly people sitting around reading newspapers, children quietly choosing books or listening to 'storytime' on a Wednesday afternoon, and schoolkids studying or doing homework, has now been turned into a noisy clattery warehouse.

The seating areas have been taken over by gangs of teenagers chatting, texting and facebooking and not showing any interest whatsoever in the books on display. Kids tear up and down the place shouting and screaming. Elderly people grapple with the swipe service. The school mums dropping in to change books after pick up stand around in groups talking at the tops of their voices. And in the middle of it some poor students try their best to do some studying.

It's bedlam in there. AIBU to wish for our nice old library which always felt like an oasis of calm, and where you could choose books in peace and quiet, and where elderly people could sit in peace reading the paper or chat quietly to library staff who knew what books to recommend to them?

I just started working in the libraries after Xmas, so from a new library workers point of view - I have been told that we only talk to people about their behaviour if another library user complains. So Behind you need to complain to the staff if you find the teenagers too disrupting.

I work in 3 branches and only one of them has the machines for issuing, people are much more likely to pay their late fines without making a fuss if a machine tells them. Most of my colleagues have had to deal with difficult customers disputing tiny fines.

I've been really surprised at just how quiet the majority of library users are and found my self quite self conscious when I've been talking to some of our elderly customers who need me to talk loudly!

Seems to be mixed views on here.

To be clear, I really don't want the libraries to return to places where anyone coughing received a stern look from a cross librarian, or where you were trembling in your shoes if you were returning a book that was a couple of weeks overdue.

But neither do I want libraries to descend into 'anything goes' type places, where people let their kids tear up and down shouting, teenagers wander in to make use of the comfy seating while having no interest in using any of the facilities, and the library staff are all upstairs behind glass doors with minimal interaction with library users.

Libraries aren't just a 'public space' as a previous poster seemed to imply, they are a public service and everyone using the space needs to respect that. I think the key is to allow library staff more engagement with library users, including ensuring that no group is taking over at the expense of others, children are kept reasonably quiet, and that those looking for assistance in choosing or reserving books have a friendly staff member nearby.

Just shoo the young whippersnappers away.

At work on a break as I type... Don't know where you are but in the librarys I work in we don't get to hide behind desks never mind glass doors! Chance would be a fine thing!

You need to tell staff if your quiet enjoyment is being spoiled by noisey teenagers then they will be able to speak to them.

I'm in Ireland and our library was revamped a couple of years ago. Part of the revamp was the removal of most of the staff to an upstairs office. There's usually someone at a desk just inside the door to help people with the swipe facility, but they don't seem to have any authority over what goes on within the library area itself or to engage re choosing books and stuff like that.

Oh, that's a shame! It's probably because they are cutting staffing levels to the bone (and de-skilling, we're all library assistants these days, real librarians are like hen's teeth) but you should raise your concerns with the library manager.

I've used my local library once as it doesn't seem to meet its purpose. Since stuffing the place with computers, a play area and the self serve machines they seem to have forgotten to put back the books! We have a measly 6 racks of adult books now. This in a fairly large town but we were downgraded to branch status with part time hours.

If I want a good selection I need to drive 15 mins (30 mins by bus) to the one deemed a real library.

I don't want to order books in, I like being able to browse and pick things that take my fancy.

So I tried to support my local library but it seems it no longer wants to support me

Libraries should be quiet. They are for reading and studying. The constant state of bedlam will cause our library to close down, I know it. It is the 'performance parenting' which boils my piss. The ones who think the whole fucking place wants to hear them read Dear Zoo very loudly to their completely uninterested toddler.

I'm with you OP. I hate what libraries are now - community centres full of bloody racket. I'm a librarian as well.

found the worst one yet yesterday. Pounced on the moment I arrived and asked to fill in a questionnaire about library services. I had an arm full of books that I was returning so not a good time to start filling in questionnaire

Had to lob my returned books into a large bin - which goes yo tally against my long held respect for books and handling then correctly

Loud children's session going on inside thevlibraryvwuthbtoddkers running around shrieking. Some problem with their internet meant there was a constant loud dial-up buzzing sound

I gave up trying to,pick any books and left.

Horrendous experience.