Silence is golden
Being a student I occasionally do some work. Occasionally. At about this time of semester I get a few essays set that require a lot of reading and preparation for. At home I get easily distracted, I run a webcomic for heaven’s sake! So I try to go to the library for a few hours and get some work done before my lectures. Because the library is quiet and peaceful, no distraction – I can get on with my work.
Yeah right! It would appear that the library has become the hang out for people NOT doing work. In amongst the conversation of a group of girls, ranging from what shampoo they used to how “fit” Johnny Depp is, to the people who insist on answering their phone – a phone that has the speaker volume up full and yet the owner still feels the need to shout, just in case some people at the back of the library hadn’t heard both sides of the conversation – there are the people that decide to eat their lunch right next to me, their choice of food – the nosiest possible meal, crisps. And they don’t even try to eat quietly, it’s CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH right in my ear. I don’t know when people became so inconsiderate but it really annoys me. The library is a place to work, not to catch up with your friends, in person or on the phone. And it certainly isn’t the place to eat your lunch. The library has its own café for that!
Surely it’s just common decency to turn your phone onto silent so that when it does go off everyone in earshot doesn’t have to listen to your latest rnb ringtone. And if you do have to answer it, speak quietly! And ask to call them back because you’re in the library? Not have a half hour conversation right there. I don’t care which shampoo smells the nicest or gives that glossy look, and sure, Johnny Depp is a handsome fellow, but just SHUT UP. If you’re not working, you shouldn’t be in the library. If it was a pub I wouldn’t care, I wouldn’t complain, but the library is not a pub. If you are in the library and you aren’t working and you are distracting other people then I should be allowed to punch you, it’s as simple as that. I’m pretty sure people would learn quickly with that new rule in place.
Oh by the way, look at the pretty new section at the bottom of the home page! Ain’t it purty? Read the Site Blog post to find out more. And check out the new wallpaper!
November 8th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
yaaaay! someone who shares my views on inconsiderate people. i know this is true of my uni/college library and have suspected it’s the same accross the whole country…finally i get confirmation. thx mike!
November 11th, 2007 at 2:27 am
Hahah, excellent rant. I agree with the other poster, someone who shares my views on iconsiderate people. I mean damn, just get some headphones for gods sake, and shut the hell up if you’re in such place as a libary. Jeez.. Anywho, keep up the good work. =)
November 13th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Yeah, I can’t understand people that come to the library but not to do work!? There are far more fun places to hang out.
November 28th, 2007 at 8:16 am
I hate the library at my college. I’ll go in there to do work online, and people are sitting there on facebook. They’re not allowed to eat chips (eh he he- english people say crisps? How cute is that?!) in our library or talk on the phone (people do anyways).
Fortunately, we have a crazy librarian and if she catches you eating near her precious computers, she kicks you out of the store and makes a giant fool of you in the process.
Yeah!
December 1st, 2007 at 1:59 pm
I used to stay after school to do “nightstudy” unfortunately i was a great student(not) and had all my work done(badly). So i would end up chatting to my friends around the table… In whispers… Out loud…
July 6th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I work at the library, and I HATE people like that. Honestly, we have a group of asian exchange students (not being racist, that’s just how it is.) and they will go to Starbucks, which has a perfectly good set of comfy chairs and no problem with noise, get food and make a five minute walk to the library where they sit, eat, and chat. They chat very, very loudly in foreign languages, look at us like we’re stupid when we ask them to keep it down, and eat despite the large and blatant sign we’ve placed above their usual table. Plus, they leave the trash from their food all over, so I have to clean it up. I once found a whole, untouched slice of cheesecake on top of a book in the shelves, WTF!?!?! And they don’t touch the books. It’s not even like it’s a group study session.
July 7th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Wow, I feel so lucky now. Some areas of our city library are a bit noisy at times, true, but for the most part that’s just around the kid’s sections (oddly enough). Most areas of the library are, if not silent, at very least quiet.