Friday, February 28, 2020

Library Life: Community or Quiet?

Whether you are a frequent visitor of your local library, or or haven't been in one since you were little, I'm sure you have a distinct picture in your mind of what they are like. Are they quiet places of study and refuge, with people who shush you, a musty smell, and books in pristine condition? Are they maybe centres filled with the sounds of storytimes and children running around, media centres to explore technology, and a nice little cafe on the main floor?


Whatever your opinions are, most of them currently fall somewhere in the middle. Unfortunately, as wonderful as this balance is, it comes with some sacrifices. How can you have a quiet study space but also allow for multimedia use? How do you keep the books clean and without damage, but also allow in food? You can't. But, there are ways to protect both of these environments to get the best of both worlds.

Libraries can't remain stagnant. They have to change and adapt, or they will die. It's the laws of nature, it's the laws of humanity. So, what's the best way forward? It really is all about balance; it's about creating defined areas for quiet and areas of community. Each city has different needs - one small town may need a library to offer other services and to, in effect, be a community centre. A university library, however, needs to ensure ample study and research space. 

I get complaints on a regular basis where I work about the library not being a quiet refuge anymore, and I really do get that - where else can you get away from the noise and bustle of the world? Other people can go to cafés if they like the ambient sounds. Yet, I also see the need for libraries to be warmer and welcoming. So, for me, I think we all need to find a better balance - between offering both the traditional library experience, and a new world view. It's not right to alienate your long-term supporters to cater to new customers any more than it is right to stay stuck in the past by ignoring the growth from new faces.

What do you think? Do you want libraries to be more of an open-space, community centre, or a silent space? In an ideal world, how would you want a library to be designed?

6 comments:

  1. I loved this post!

    And I agree with you. Libraries needed to change with the times in order to survive, and part of that included loosening the rules on how much noise can be made in them.

    But I also think everyone should be courteous at the library and not make noise they can easily prevent, especially in the quiet areas where people are studying or reading.

    My local library does a great job at separating the noisier sections from the quiet ones. They have tables for group projects, and other sections far away from that one that are meant for people who are working silently on something.

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    1. That's great that they've found a balance. I've been to a few libraries where they have designated "quiet" and "community" floors so that both can be maximized. But you're right, courtesy and respect need to come for library users as well.

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  2. That's a great question, and especially relevant to me since our community just opened a spiffy new library recently. It's pretty quiet most of the time but there is a reading room where it can get a tad noisy at times- depending on how many people are in there- and one thing i like are the studying/ gaming rooms they have. Kids and high schoolers or whatever can reserve them and go in there and red or study quietly, or make a racket gaming and they're designed so that you can't really hear the noise outside the rooms, which is nice.

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    1. I love the idea of having rentable rooms! Then, whatever needs you have can be met. This really saves libraries from having to define their own spaces too much, and it's flexible for what their users need at any one time.

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  3. I don't really go to the library - I use Libby or Hoopla but the few times I have gone both here and in FL - they are more active and community based.

    In FL there were a lot of programs for small children so yeah - noisy lol

    Out here, my library is really big on activities for teens and the library as a safe space for them.

    I think that's more important than my need for quiet but I get if you're there to study or that's your only down time that it would be annoying.

    I guess I'm ok if it's structured activities and not just people randomly running around or talking loudly.

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. I definitely think it makes a difference what type of city you are in for sure. I would be annoyed if there was a huge community centre a block away and then no quiet space at the library, but yet, if there isn't a place for community activities, I definitely think the library is the perfect place for everyone to gather.
      I've spent a lot of time working in a children's library...and man is there ever a lot of running around, haha!

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