Libraries- Grumpy Old Woman Rant

You couldn't do anything like that in our library. You might have a young child bump into you as he plays "tag" around the bookshelves, while his mother and her friends sit in the book corner chatting away. You might collide with a teenager who is travelling across to his friends computer on his wheeled chair. You might have to struggle to find a seat because most of them are occupied by teenagers who have an open book on their lap and are all texting.
I'd like a quiet no-children admitted hour once a week.

Well, we are looking for a way to get more people to use the facilities though I have to confess we thinking more about bridge or knit and natter!

Oooh I do love a good tryst! Are you going to have facilities for that in your library kitty?

Teetime you are quite right! I once came across two people I know trysting in the University libraries! I hid in the covers!
x

Oh naughty Teetime!

One used to be able to tryst in a nice quiet library.

Yes, there is none of the whispering about the place now is there?Pity really.

When they built our university (Southend on sea ) they built a new library to go with it. I think it's wonderful. It's alive with young and 'old' people. Non of that hush hush business anymore. It's so big that if you want a quiet area there's somewhere to go.

We used to have a mobile library that was greatly valued by all the scattered communities round here, both as a source of books and a chance to catch up on gossip and community cohesion. When that died a friend and I got together to run a library in the village hall once a month at the farmers' market, which itself is now on the way out - last market this week. We are trying to organise for the library to continue somehow one morning a month. The books come from the central library - we are just the unpaid librarians!

You have me reminiscing now back to the days when our Village library was in the "front room " of a house and opened for two hours in the afternoon and again early evening. The choice of books was very limited but could be ordered for the next visit. I can still remember the librarian Mrs Shaw who must have done the job for years ,she was rather intimidating to us children.

Our library is still open but the hours/days reduced so we are grateful for that and DH and I make sure we use it regularly. However I long for the days of a peaceful calm library warm in winter, cool in summer where I could spend a whole day reading and writing. I'm only in there for a few minutes at a time now - get my books and leg it back to the peace and quite of a busy main street!

Great to read about your commitment Kitty. Our library was saved from closure by an active campaign and now hosts reading, creative writing, knitting, local history, healthy eating, children's/toddlers story times and a host of other activities. It was very noisy when I was there recently because the district nurses were offering blood pressure testing for anyone. A group of older folks (like myself) opted in and there was a lot of laughter.

I think the idea of blocks of time when there will be a more peaceful environment is an excellent idea. Best of all worlds

Our local library now has, in the same space, a Child start Centre, Citizens advice, and a computer area to "rent" a computer for an hour, and where also one can have an hour's tuition, either by the library staff or Age UK volunteers. There used to be a Book Club on Saturday afternoon once a month but I am not sure if this still exists. A really good use of the facilities and the staff are brilliant. They do have Story time one morning but that can be avoided if the noise of children enjoying themselves is not liked.
Good Luck kitty and well done.

Gosh kitty well done. What a good idea to take on the running of the library. Shame you've had to do it but so much better than closure. I reckon the idea of having quiet sessions is practical and should go a long way to maintain attendance by older folk or those with the expectation of libraries as havens of peace. You can pack in the youngsters for storytelling etc at other times. I hope you can charge local councils for use if they want to use your space for eg bus pass paperwork /meetings etc.

I am part of the group taking over the running of our village library and this is one of our ongoung discussions. Our building is too small to have a quiet area so we are suggesting a quiet session - not perfect but at least it's something.

It is good to have some havens of peace in this noisy world. I think there should be a general rule to keep things reasonably quiet. Quite young children can be taught that there are times and places where they should be expected to be calm and orderly and not running riot.

Grumpy old gran that I sound.

Absolutely Mishap we have to do everything we can to keep our Libraries open and accept the new way of doing things, even though they are no longer the havens of peace they were.

At least you still have a library!!