Comments on: on (tough) decision making

By: webdoyenne

webdoyenne — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 18:03:52 +0000

Ah, the library/cell phone dilemma… Generally speaking, if we don’t police it (cell phone use), other customers complain about it. We put up signs; ignored/overlooked by those who are bound and determined to use their phones anyhow. Most people are considerate…turn it off, put it on “vibrate” or whatever. For those who aren’t…well, I don’t like being “the cell phone monitor,” but I’m old enough and cranky enough that I will step in and enforce common courtesy. Continues to amaze me how loudly some people talk on these things — and fail to see that it might be a problem for other folks.

By: jennimi

jennimi — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 00:42:40 +0000

Agreed. Thank you for being willing to post this discussion. I, too, am frustrated by the stereotype of the shushing librarian, but I proudly hang my Nancy Pearl action figure in my home office (signed, of course), much to the chagrin of dear and respected colleagues. Shush can mean lots of things. Be quiet cuz we said so? Or… please keep it down so others may work? Or, to me, listen, you might learn something.

For my part I really DO need some quiet down time to get things done. And call me ole fashioned but the library, cybrary, or combo tends to hold a “thinker’s” quality, a formality I don’t find at home, that draws me in. I assume others feel this way, too, and it is fair to implement quiet spaces, quiet hours, whatever works, if patrons want them and resources allow. But next is somehow protecting those spaces by being able to make the tough decisions. “Signs” don’t work for everything…

Bringing me to my next point. Yes Steve Lawson! Let’s see some positive signs on that flickr initiative! I grow tired of the sense of “gotcha” of it. Let’s gotcha some who are doing right, so others may learn.

By: EH

EH — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 17:01:08 +0000

We have started the process of designated the odd floors of our building as “quiet floors” and the even floors as “collaborative learning”/”group study” (i.e., noisy) floors. This decision was made after reviewing a seating survey from last fall.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 16:54:27 +0000

We did a library survey in the spring and got some of those “positions [that] conflict absolutely”. Some people wanted us to tell everyone else to shut up and some wanted us to allow more talk, especially for study groups. We do have multiple floors, so we could do a “quiet floor”, but I suspect the fighting point would be the main computer area–groups want to work together and individuals want to work in peace. Both are perfectly legimate needs, but can’t be met in the same space.

By: Steve Lawson

Steve Lawson — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 22:08:58 +0000

[this is good] Let's see fewer "bad signs" on Flickr and more "good signs." I like Monsieur Silence, myself.