[Publib] Quiet and computers

[Mary Browder]

I believe in giving the library users what they want if it is at all 
feasible.  We have done surveys every five years asking how the public 
perceives the library and what they want changed and what they would 
like to remain the same.  We give out surveys  in the library and sent 
them out with utility bills, which is an interesting juxtaposition since 
the bills went up wildly this year.  However, the responses were 
interesting.  We got requests for computer access, and we have 42 public 
access computers in two buildings.  We got requests for a quiet area, 
and we have a specifically labeled QUIET AREA   for people to read or 
work on projects or whatever.  We also do a usage of the library survey 
every five years.  Every half hour a staff member goes through the 
building and using a chart counts how many people are in each area.  It 
gives us an idea of how the library is being used. The computers are 
used about 6800 times a month.  The Quiet area is used less, but there 
are only six tables in there.  On a daily basis the quiet area is in 
constant use as are the computers. Libraries are refuges, and they are 
teaching organisms.  
I have been using computers in libraries since 1984, where we had Apples 
for circulation.  They are useful tools, and I could not work without 
them, but I became a librarian because I was one of seven boisterous 
children in an incredibly noisy and crowded house.  The library was 
quiet, and I could read in peace.  The librarian did not like children, 
but she left me alone.  It was heaven.  I appreciate that there are many 
venues for noise in this world, but very few for quiet and, I hope that 
at least a small part of libraries can still  provide a place to read 
and work far from the madding crowd.
Mary Browder
Octavia Fellin Public Library