Perspective: In praise of the happy hubbub in the public library.
Stunned into silence, we tried not to giggle. How weird for a group of librarians to be shushed by a patron! Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
Well, it’s complicated. If you’re a baby boomer like me, you probably remember libraries as places of silent reading; any loud voices were immediately shushed by a librarian. These days, however, libraries are more like bustling community centers, where being at least somewhat noisy is the new normal, especially when kids are involved. As someone who led hundreds of circle times at my public library, I can tell you there’s just no quiet way to do the Hokey Pokey.
But it’s a balancing act. Not all patrons — or librarians — embrace the concept of a noisy library. It’s clear to me now that on the day my colleagues and I were shushed by a patron, we should have been using our “library voices” as we conversed. Still, it’s unlikely that libraries will ever return to the days when they were citadels of silence. There’s just too much fun and learning happening.
“When I visit a library and it is quiet, I always feel a bit sad. A library where conversations are happening, tables are full, and children and adults are engaged in books and with each other is a very good thing!” Karen MacPherson is the former children’s and youth services coordinator at Takoma Park Maryland Library.
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