OurWanderingAdventures : Where Am I?

Monday, November 17, 2014

Where Am I?

Children play tag wildly and loudly, a man shouts into his cell phone, 2 women mill about laughing with reckless abandon as I try to reach something on a shelf right in front of them, a couple watching youtube videos at a table with the volume loud enough to share with the entire place, a man with his music turned so loud his headphones may as well not even be on. If you guessed the playground or the mall, you are wrong. Sadly, I am at the public library.

Gone are the days when the surly librarian would hush your quietest whisper, gone are the days when the library was a quiet zone of peace and learning. Now it seems the libary is a hot bed of activity with the librarians still there, but ignoring that clatter around them. It seems the children's area has become a drop off zone for free babysitting and the other 'quiet' sections have been taken over by people that think the world revolves around them. I'm looking at you business man who confirmed your Doctor's appointment, discussed grouting with Carlos and then fended off a call from your mother all within 5 minutes. Then proceeded to get pretty upset with the last call as you got up from your table and began pacing around all of our tables while ON YOUR PHONE! Those children playing tag? Not a parent in sight. All around us we are being assaulted with the new norm of the library. We aren't just here on a fluke day or something that is just happening at this library, this happens everywhere. It's almost as though these people WANT our attention, crave it, need it even. Why else would they do these things? To seem important or is it truly just feigned ignorance...

My children get THE EYE if they even whisper too loudly, we get our books and huddle down in a quiet room that we reserve now because we know the lack of manners that surrounds us. College libraries seem to be our best bets, we never run into people there to socialize, these are people that are trying to figure out their lives and have goals in mind. A private room costs nothing and while not soudproof, they are the perfect place to speak in a low volumes and conduct your business meetings. Maybe I'm just old school, but I want my library back.