Snarky Brides

So, talking at a Library is cool now?

So, I am really lucky and have been able to work from home for a few weeks, because it is our slow season at work.  In order to get anything done, I go to the library; plus- it forces me to not wear PJs all day, every day.

That past few days, people have been having conversations, with the librarian and each other at an "outdoor" volume.  Since when was it ok to be noisy at a library?!  It just really binds my knickers.

While I'm ranting.. would it kill people to turn off the volume on their phone when they come into the library?

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Re: So, talking at a Library is cool now?

  • Gosh, you're so mean, expecting people to be polite and stuff! How entitled of you!

    I feel bad for my FI, I should lower my expectations!
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  • I work in a university library. I grew up with libraries are quiet, you have whisper. When I started working my mind was blown. It's so noisy. We do have a few "quiet floors" where people can work/study/sneak a nap in peace. Unfortunately, I'm used to talking in a normal voice in the public spaces now.
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  • I've been guilty of answering my phone at a library, but I usually have it on vibrate, but it's another thing to have a full on conversation inside the library. My pet peeve is when I'm only in the library but waiting for an important call, and it's clear that I'm heading out of the library to answer it and talking barely above a whisper, telling the person to hold on a sec while I leave the library, out of nowhere the librarian's crawl up my ass about it. I'm not trying to be rude, and I am leaving the library so I can take the call. (some of my friend's numbers come up as private in the caller id if they are using their work phones.)
  • Over this past summer I didn't have a computer, so I would go to the local library if I needed to get online for something. It amazed me just how many people would talk at the library. Whispering something that needed to be said was one thing, but people would just hold conversations that were just chit-chat and gossip. The kicker? Even the librarians do it! It bothered me some but since I was just there using the computer, it wasn't that huge of a deal for me. I could just imagine how frustrating it would be for someone who was trying to get real research, studying, or reading done though!
  • Hate to break it to you but libraries are not what they used to be. I am a librarian and spend 35 hours a week there. There is going to be noise. There is going to be talking. Blame our administrators for getting rid of the no cell phone rule. I'm not going to tell you to be quite unless I can hear you from the info desk and it goes on for more than a min. I don't really care honestly. People do sometimes need to talk if they are doing group work, we don't have study room. Don't complain if they are actually being quite and respectful about it (true story). Just be glad that at the branch I work at we don't have issues with teens and the children are on a different floor. At least for the library system I work for we are getting pushed to make the library more of a community center. I get embarrassed sometimes because we don't really have any books on our shelves for research. I always have to tell people to go to the main branch if they are doing research.
  • Hate to break it to you but libraries are not what they used to be. I am a librarian and spend 35 hours a week there. There is going to be noise. There is going to be talking. Blame our administrators for getting rid of the no cell phone rule. I'm not going to tell you to be quite unless I can hear you from the info desk and it goes on for more than a min. I don't really care honestly. People do sometimes need to talk if they are doing group work, we don't have study room. Don't complain if they are actually being quite and respectful about it (true story). Just be glad that at the branch I work at we don't have issues with teens and the children are on a different floor. At least for the library system I work for we are getting pushed to make the library more of a community center. I get embarrassed sometimes because we don't really have any books on our shelves for research. I always have to tell people to go to the main branch if they are doing research.
    Noise is fine.  People working on a project together talking at low volume is fine.  Answering an important call while in the library, but then walking outside is fine.  I was more talking about the fact that people were having a 15 minute long conversation at a loud volume across a room.

    I don't expect people to use sign language to communicate in a library, but I would hope that voices are kept at least to an "indoor" volume.
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  • faeriedust101faeriedust101 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    edited January 2014
    If other people are genuinely bothering you you need to talk to the librarian. Where I work we have a lot of blind spots. If someone complains to me I do go and check out what's happening and usually ask the people to speak softer. If I cannot hear them from the info desk I do not know what is going on. It is not an option to tell all the adults who want to talk to go to the children's floor because it is noisier there for safety reasons. (Sexual assaults against children and adults do happen in libraries. Side note NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED IN A LIBRARY IT IS NOT A SAFE PLACE). As for the librarian speaking at a regular volume, we need to. We only have 1 librarian on the desk where I'm working so we are not usually chatting at the desk.   
    If you want a quite library you also have to be strategic when you go. Go in the morning when they first open. Do not go at 3pm when all the kids are out of school, there will be more noise. Also generally multi floor larger libraries are quite. There is more place for people to spread out. 
  • If other people are genuinely bothering you you need to talk to the librarian. Where I work we have a lot of blind spots. If someone complains to me I do go and check out what's happening and usually ask the people to speak softer. If I cannot hear them from the info desk I do not know what is going on. It is not an option to tell all the adults who want to talk to go to the children's floor because it is noisier there for safety reasons. (Sexual assaults against children and adults do happen in libraries. Side note NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED IN A LIBRARY IT IS NOT A SAFE PLACE). As for the librarian speaking at a regular volume, we need to. We only have 1 librarian on the desk where I'm working so we are not usually chatting at the desk.   
    If you want a quite library you also have to be strategic when you go. Go in the morning when they first open. Do not go at 3pm when all the kids are out of school, there will be more noise. Also generally multi floor larger libraries are quite. There is more place for people to spread out. 
    I understand your issues at your library, unfortunately the librarian was one of the people carrying on the long conversation.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE our library- I guess I just have to get used to what I perceive to be "library etiquette".  (Also, I would never ask that a librarian only whispers all day, I expect them to speak at a normal volume.)

    I really meant no offense, like I said, I love my library and my librarians are pretty kick-ass.  I was just being ranty.

    To the bolded.. OH DEAR GOD!
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