Please make our library a quiet sanctuary again

by Peter Twitchell

I’ve been to the library more than usual since retiring from my job which was cut due to no funding. I cannot not believe the amount of noise at our library. It is terrible. Everyone speaks freely, it is not a quiet place anymore and kids are yelling at the top of their little voices and no one tells them to shush, and it is the same with the adult patrons. Whatever happened to our library being a quiet zone?

To tell you the truth I miss that about our library and it is very annoying being in this noisy environment. All my life, I’ve been quiet when visiting the library and find it disturbing, because it is hard to think in this noisy environment.

I don’t know if anyone else has this disturbing problem, but no one has said anything including myself.

The Kuskokwim Library has changed 180 degrees. As far back as I can remember the library was a quiet zone. It is not, anymore. Patrons, most of them in their twenties are noisy. They speak in a normal tone, laugh, make comments I don’t care to repeat. What happened? Am I the only one noticing this? I feel like saying something when it gets too noisy, but don’t know if “Quiet,” is an outdated policy there.

It is very distracting to me, since I’ve been quiet in the library and anywhere else, libraries are traditionally quiet zones!

Perhaps they ditched their “QUIET” Policy at the Kuskokwim Library. And, if it is still a policy the younger generation doesn’t respect it. It is sad. I grin and bear it.

People are not used to obeying quiet policies. I don’t think that they are ignorant, maybe it is something they are not accustomed to, and need to be educated.

Another thing, when I go to the school music concerts at the high school, people, both adults and kids are roaming around when the high school band(s) and choirs are singing. People don’t usually do that anywhere else. Just for example, I’ve noticed that in Anchorage sometimes doors are locked when the concert begins, and if you walked out, you’re not allowed back in until their next break.