Friday, November 19, 2010

Ssshhh!

Whatever happened to being quiet in a library? I just don't get it. When I was growing up there were 2 places that didn't permit talking, church and the library.  Okay, well at least the Presbyterian denomination didn't condone making noise of any kind.  I think the congregation would have fainted if even a clearing of the throat took place. I know what your are thinking, that denomination isn't known for their exuberance.  I can't speak for other types of churches so I will move on to library etiquette. 


Back in the day talking in a library was just not done.  Even now I break out into a cold sweat if I were to feel a sneeze coming on.   The librarians I grew up with would have "sssshhhhed" you for just whispering let alone talking. I was at the local library a couple of days ago and was astounded at what I heard.  Truly I am not use to that.  What's that you say?  The noise level. It totally had the atmosphere of any other public place. It really didn't even seem like a library because the noise was  so out of place.  The majority of the noise was people noise.  They were actually carrying on conversations just as they would outside or in their own homes. Something else I was shocked to discover was that it wasn't just the younger people who were breaking that unwritten rule.  So there blows the whole Generation XYZ theory that kids are all selfish, spoiled and have no respect for anyone or anything. I encountered people older than me breaking the rule, some of them Grandmas.  I know for a fact that they knew better. 


Not only was loud talking contributing to the noise level but so were someone's heavy fingers on computer keys, speaker phone conversations, moms who didn't remove their crying babies, printers that were making a racket and finally the librarians, forgetting their "quiet voice", while helping others. There totally isn't any respect any longer. The library used to be a place of rest and relaxation. I'm not feeling it!

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