Years ago, dropping a pencil in the library might’ve earned you death stares and a dramatic “shh” echoing throughout the room. Even a sneeze felt like a crime. Now, however, the purpose of libraries is shifting, and so is the way people view and treat them.
The library is a place where students should be able to focus, learn, and wind down for a little while, providing people with a break from noisy outside spaces like school cafeterias. For many, it serves as a second home and somewhere for students to turn to when school can get overwhelming.
“I prefer to come to the library because it’s a good place to focus and get things done without any distractions compared to doing work at home. There are always books and resources for things I might need,” said Madelin Hernandez, a senior at BHS.
However, libraries are also growing more into social spaces. They have evolved from quiet study zones into multipurpose areas for studying, group work, and using technology.
“It [libraries] should be a place that everyone within the community has access to, and in turn it provides them with access to a variety of resources depending on their needs… It could be the place that got you out of a crowded cafeteria,” said Ms. Bridget Sitler, a librarian in the Brentwood district.
You’ll see groups catching up on work, reviewing for a test, or studying together. But as the social use of the library increases, so does the volume.
“Although we all love a quiet library, a silent library is often an unused library,” said Ms. Maureen Ryan, Sonderling librarian. “One of our goals is to be part of the heartbeat of our school, and with that increased usage comes increased noise.”
With so much going on in a single room, the noise level can easily rise without people realizing it. Students have recently complained about rising noise levels in the Ross and Sonderling libraries.
“There are times where I do get distracted by noises in the library,” said Bryan Reyes, a senior.
“Unfortunately, the intrinsic design of libraries from the hard floors to the high ceilings, to the tall, solid bookcases cause even the smallest sounds to amplify, intensify, and bounce around the space,” Ms. Ryan said.
In response, the Ross and Sonderling libraries have installed noise-cancelling headphones to drown out distractions and allow students to focus on their studies.
Library etiquette is necessary in order to keep the space organized and accessible for everyone. At Brentwood High School, many students depend on the library for studying, printing work, and preparing for the SAT, which can easily be interrupted by excessive noise.
“We have a certain expectation of behavior in the library, but it can get noisy even when students are behaving perfectly appropriately,” Ms. Ryan said.
“Although we have a beautiful, vaulted ceiling when entering the library, it creates a very noisy environment,” said Ms. Diane Longo, Ross librarian. “We have requested looking into some kind of decorative ceiling panels to help absorb the noise and reduce echoing sounds.”
Students can assist in decreasing the noise by reminding each other to lower their voices rather than relying solely on librarians to enforce the rules. By upholding this shared responsibility, the library can better serve its purpose as a space for concentration.
Even so, the library continues to serve its many purposes: a place to relax, concentrate, and learn. As students move on from high school, libraries remain valuable to them. The library fulfills everyone’s needs, and in return, visitors should respect the space and those within it by being mindful of their volume.
