Are Libraries Getting Louder?
You should be able to hear a pin drop in a library, right? The only sound ought to be the turning of a page or perhaps some faint whispers, no? Maybe not so much anymore. It appears as though the library as a quiet place is becoming increasingly anachronistic. Libraries are shifting their focus from places of solitary reading to community centers with a range of programming. In Governing , Alan Ehrenhalt observes that libraries are embracing their new status as "third places." From the article: We are all familiar with the stereotype of the fussy librarian telling patrons to keep quiet. That tradition is disappearing. Nearly all libraries still have designated quiet rooms, but everywhere else in the building silence is no longer a requirement. People can talk as much as they want to. At first blush, one might lament the changing character of libraries, and that is perfectly understandable. Change is always hard. But, we have to come to terms with our contemporary plague of...
