Library Junction

"Silence please" is the board you can see in almost all libraries. Traditionally the library is meant for silent reading and reference. As an user what do you think about keeping silence in the library?

this is very use full for library

SILENCE IS ESSENTIAL IN A LIBRARY BECAUSE IT IS THE BOOKS THERE WHO TALK AND GENUINE USERS GO THERE TO LISTEN TO THESE BOOKS.

it depends on area where an user used in the library such as reading zone, user has to keep silence or discussion zone, users could talk and discuss everything, but library should provide the private room for them because they will make some noises or loud sound.

Yes, a complete and model library should have zones for reading, discussion and reference. When we design a library these things should be taken seriously.

In our school library as an IBO-PYP school we discourage silence in the Library. We don't even have the sign for it. We don't buy interesting books for our students to just look with their eyes. We encourage our student to talk, share and express their feelings when browsing our books. We love them discussing together about the book. But this to a certain extent. If they overdo it we approach them and communicate with them.

I think about the space and the kinds of books. Some books need voices to read.

Agreed. A school library should be a place for sharing ideas and thoughts. It is nice to here that your library don't even have the " Silence Please" board. I also like my library to be a place for discussion and exchange of ideas. But in India school libraries are clubbed along with class rooms and any noise from it will lead to complaints from other teachers in nearby class rooms and authorities. We try to give space for expression in a limited way that will not affect nearby class rooms. SHHHHH !!!!!! must be removed from school libraries. Any way we like to see our kids to be free persons with great minds.

book for disability group is very important, but handicap people should use earphone.

Silence is essential for the library. It is a universally accepted phenomenon. But today information is not supposed to be read silently & concealed,it should be interacted & discussed. That noise should not be treated as nuisance.

others call it "educational noise" / "productive noise"

I love this word.... education noise. Thanks.

Actually SILENCE is a must in a library. But our libraries are not designed in such a manner as to allow the users to use freely the reference section,reading section,lending section etc.We have one room with no scope for further development and when one class enters there will be chaos and silence is a thing which is not found,but a thing that has to be imposed.

Actually SILENCE is a must in a library. But our libraries are not designed in such a manner as to allow the users to use freely the reference section,reading section,lending section etc.We have one room with no scope for further development and when one class enters there will be chaos and silence is a thing which is not found,but a thing that has to be imposed.

I was questioned before when I put the sign "Silence Please". A teacher suggested to use the word Quiet than silence. That silence is used only in court. Silence is total silence while Quiet is minimal noise.

educational noise must use in lower tone.

Quiet is a nice word, i.e., making no noise or sound, esp. no disturbing sound

There should be a user-friendly atmosphere for the active readers ie, let them express thier views on that book to others.. ie, discussion about a book will be a publicity for the particular book so that other serious readers also gets information about a the book. But we should control the unwanted discussions and noise pollution to a limit.

It is a courtesy. Many people use the libraries to do research and school work and it is easier to concentrate when it is quiet. Many people also use the library as a quiet place to go read the local papers and such. Again most people like it quiet to read. It also helps people keep their concentration on what they're doing. I feel that people don't want to be bothered with loud talkers while they're reading or working. A library is not a place to socialize. That is not its purpose. It is a place for learning, reading and researching. Those activities are all easier to do when it is quiet.