talking in the library!

[elderwand90]

Right so I have an hour spare before work. Thought I would just pop in to the library and read my book in nice quiet comfort as there was to point in going all the way home to then come back to where my work is. Anyway trying to read my book and 3 staff members are at the desk chatting and gossiping away rather loudly I can here the full conversation which is rather off putting when trying to read! WIBU ask them to stop? It's driving me nuts

Yes you ABU.

I don't think libraries are the quiet hush hush type of place that they used to be and I'm quite glad of that myself.

It's not the 1850's. People can talk in the library. Most are used for clubs, internet and children's activities and noise goes hand in hand with those

Yep yabu

Libraries are a social place now. Right down to children being noisy

Public libraries are not 'quiet zones' these days. They are full of people making good use of the space for community groups and things - normal speaking voices are expected.

Loud voices if your visit coincides with the toddler/school groups.

Academic libraries tend to be the quiet ones.

But this isn't a club or kids thing or anything like as that wouldnt bother me it's three members of staff standing at the desk for the last half hour at least talking about what they were watching on TV and talking about other people and what they done! Am pg so maybe just a small bit irrational and hormonal!

The point is that silence isn't expected in libraries these days. Normal noise is fine.

Talking is fine. And the staff are probably unpaid volunteers, so do try to be nice.

They are the reason the building is able to be kept open for you to sit around in.

Yes, YABU to expect people not to be able to chat to colleagues, if they are doing a job that can be done whilst chatting.
If you aren't able to 'switch off' and get into your book then you need to take ear plugs / headphones, or go somewhere else.

libraries are no longer quiet places
it's really really annoying because I don't think there's anywhere quiet that you can just pop into these days. I struggle with it too, I used to love the library.

you have my sympathies.

Fgs why is im pregnant always used as a bloody excuse

The staff are allowed to talk it is a library not a work house. You want peace and quiet go home.

Right Ok IABU! I will accept that i am now sitting outside because I can't take hearing about who's getting botox and lip fillers anymore. Pregnancy is a good excuse I cried at a kfc advert the other day am sorry but that would never happen it I wasn't hormonal lol

I would like libraries to be quiet places again. There are opportunities to be noisy pretty much everywhere else.

Not enough people were using the libraries as quiet reading places so the need to have clubs and other noisy events arose to keep them from closing.

Much better to have a community space where all are welcome than a dead space with 1 or 2 silent readers in it.

The term "community space" makes me feel a bit ill.

casual - me too. Everywhere is a fucking community space. And people wonder why I spend so much time at home.

on the rare occasion I have the misfortune to cross Trafalgar Square, I miss the traffic. The National Gallery have also commented what a pain the day time events are with booming mikes that can be heard while people are trying to look at paintings in peace. Gah.

You should get checked out by a doctor if two words can bring on illness

YANBU!! There are precious few quiet places left in the world. A library should be one of them. This may be changing, but it's not unreasonable to dislike that.

Although having now RTFT I will concede that community spaces are important. My local library has a children's area and I wouldn't expect that bit to be quiet.

I preferred quiet libraries too. As a lot of people prefer the quiet carriages on trains and a lot of people say they would pay extra for child-free flights to avoid noise, and gyms and spas that have hours or areas that are women only, why can't libraries perhaps have quiet zones or quiet hours?

YABU because libraries are very different places nowadays. They're not for book-lovers any more. They're glorified nurseries and council information centres.

YADDDDDDNBU to mourn this though. It's sad that libraries have ended up like this. When it was refurbished our city centre library got rid of about half its books to make way for a cafe and play space

Libraries are a nightmare now. Such open spaces. Library in my old town hae a glassed off good children's library (so noise was okay), plenty of meeting rooms for groups etc and a quiet adult and reference floor.

All gone now.

YANBU. When my twins were babies the only quiet place I could study was the library as I paid my babysitter to look after them at home. It was so frustrating not to even have quiet there.

I can see a model of paid for quiet libraries coming in. In fact i wonder if the changes re budget cuts, volunteers, clapping sessions etc came in so that later on they can open up a revenue stream by charging for quiet library space.

I did hear, I don't know how true it is, that in some towns and cities, churches that are open to visitors during the day are seeing an increase in numbers doing so. Some have cafes, but its often a case of people just wanting to go in and have some quiet. Take your book, sit in a pew.

Actually just realised. Most Waterstones are fairly quiet places, apart from the cafes. Book people clearly prefer quiet, so it's weird libraries are alienating a core audience.

Still, initially one of the things that happened was that libraries were going to have £ cut unless they offered child activities.

then they had £ cut anyway!

I have actually considered the church thing as well but I'm an atheist so it seems rather unfair to do that.

Waterstones near work is quiet, but I think it depends on the layout.