Patrons Behaving Badly

For many reasons the public library is one of my favorite places to visit. (Blerdy = black + nerdy!) It's quiet, except during children's story time, but hearing all those high-pitched voices oohing and aahing as the tale unfolds is the cheerful sound of future readers. Plus, they're young kids. Their behavior gets viewed with some leniency due to their youth.

Lately, whiny adults have been harshing my usual library buzz with their complaints about how loudly other patrons are tapping the keys on their keyboards. (Earbuds exist for a reason.) Another so-called adult loudly and repeatedly complained that she shouldn't need to wait in the queue for the next available computer because some people were only playing games and should get bumped from their seats in favor of people who need to do work. (Um, the library's been open for hours; you should have come earlier.) With silent (It's the library!) cheers from the nearby patrons, the librarian scolded this narcissist for her selfish attitude.

What is confusing about the phrase public library? It's designed to be a shared space for open access to resources. People who don't want to wait their turn or hear other people's ambient sounds while they work shouldn't come to the public library expecting the environment to feel like their private home.

[End tirade;-).]

I <3 Libraries

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