Today, April 4, turns out to be National School Librarian Day, so it seems Perfectly Proper to review some dos and don’ts for public spaces that are evolving beyond the stereotype of the Hushed Temple of Learning. Libraries are changing to serve more of a community’s needs than just books and study space. Mercy goodness, they’ve added a couple cafés at the Boston Public Library, and that’s just one example.
Even though libraries are changing, the need to respect others by keeping quiet is still paramount. That includes your devices and children. Your earbuds may not leak, your smartphone must not beep, bong, or ding; your kid may not yell “DADDY, REACH ME THAT ONE!” except possibly in the Children’s Room. People will indicate if you’re disruptive, but Etiquetteer cannot guarantee that they’ll do it politely with a Pointed Glance or Icy Glare.
Maintaining your own silence is especially important in designated quiet rooms. And Etiquetteer thinks it’s a sign of how libraries are changing that quiet rooms have to be designated. Is quiet is no longer the expected norm at a library? And how do we feel about that?
Refreshments are another area where Boundaries of Perfect Propriety are changing. The most important concern is preserving the condition of the books, not using food or drink to power through ennui or writer’s block. There are libraries that will allow covered beverages to accommodate the Caffeine Dependent, but Etiquetteer advises caution. If you’re bringing food or drink of any kind, please don’t absentmindedly leave it on the bookshelves while you’re browsing, especially if it’s liquid. It puts the books at risk.
The Boston Public Library’s Appropriate Library Use Policy will give you an idea of the breadth of behaviors that need to be considered in large urban libraries. The “no gambling” rule came as a shock. The New York Public Library is no-nonsense about the need for obedience. Their list of Prohibited Conduct begins with “Disregarding instructions given by Library staff.” (So don’t try it.) Etiquetteer likes better how it’s phrased at St. Xavier’s College: “Kindly cooperate and interact gently with library staff.” But the Boston Athenaeum summarizes library Perfect Propriety perfectly in its rules and regulations: “All persons using the Library are expected to conduct themselves in a quiet, civil, and courteous manner.”
The next time you run into your library, be sure to thank the librarians for all their good work — quietly.