My library has study booths for people who really need quiet. As seen here, they make the person using them look sort of like a contestant on a fifties game show.
Why are these necessary? Because guests in the library are loud. Some talk on the phone. Some just blatantly rant to themselves. And the thing is that the library will just...let you. Shushing is a thing of the past. If you started screaming obscenities at other patrons, someone would probably tell you to stop. Probably, but I don't know for sure. Even then it would be awkward, and no one wants to be awkward. But as far as enforcing guidelines that mean you'll need to show consideration for everyone else, no, nobody does that.
2 comments:
You're right about what those study booths look like. These are definitely strange days when nobody pays attention to what used to be the unspoken rules of normal behavior. It's distressing and most unfortunate.
Jer told me it was much the same in hospital when he found himself sharing a room with a schizophrenic who shouted in general and then played a loud podcast at midnight while he slept. Facilities and employees aren't prepared to deal with mentally ill and drug addicted patients. There's lots of security personnel near the ER's but not on the floors unless things go very bad. Librarians don't have that option.
***
Here's Dr. Jacob on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace - the DMSO episode
https://youtu.be/4XEt0n6LPrk?si=PwwY0-_3ju3EvY5l
It's often said--with a certain amount of truth--that people forgot how to deal with each other during lockdown. It's also true that there were already some dire trends happening before that. 2020 just poured gasoline on them.
Seeing what schizophrenics can be like when awake it feels merciless to room with one who also "listens to" podcasts when he's asleep. Libraries do have security officers, at least when the budget allows for it. But the security personnel don't do anything about loud people. They might stop people who try to steal books without checking them out, or discipline those stupid enough to look at porn on the library computers. That's about it for enforcement.
***
That was a pretty vintage 60 Minutes. Mike still has dark brown hair in it! No medicine can cure everything, but it seems to be a very effective anti-inflammatory.
Post a Comment