I am a grateful and proud alumna of the University of Chicago. I have been spending a lot of time at the library lately (thank you!) for reasons of my own. It's generally quieter on the upper floors, but I am stunned by the attitude on the first floor which is up for grabs.
In total disregard for the "rules" (on posted signs, obviously meaningless) or even any sense of a normal library etiquette, students accept and engage in raucous, loud talking--not every second but way, way too much. I am not speaking of forgetting yourself just as you're entering or leaving the lobby area (which shouldn't happen either). This inappropriate behavior occurs inside of the entrance kiosks, at the standing computers, at larger tables seating more than one person, even at individual computer stations where another person will join someone for discussion. There is frequently someone or other in the front area (near the staircase) talking loudly on a cell phone. I ask myself, "Is this the University of Chicago?"
Around 5 pm on Saturday, Dec. 5th I couldn't take it anymore and politely asked a couple of the perpetrators sitting across from my computer station if they could please refrain from having such a loud discussion. I was on my best diplomatic behavior (I have been in customer relations and property management for years so I know how to act when you need a result). I got a rather hostile response telling me that "It's (having loud prolonged conversations) generally accepted...in the library...(and) do I come in here often?" The latter comment as if to say, I should know that that's just the way it is. Not according to everyone, thank goodness, because as I went back to my seat the student across from me thanked me for my action, and said she goes to different libraries on campus or uses earphones because it's hard to concentrate at Regenstein.
I could give more examples of the above situation, but of course, I won't here. Suffice to say this is not the first time of frustration. I did, by the way, also go to the supervisor on hand who was helpful and got things to quiet down a bit, but (not his fault) it didn't last. It's just the "culture", sad to say.
I would like to suggest that it may be worthwhile for the library to either re-train or hire staff who know how to be more assertive (I am not referring to or singling out the supervisor mentioned, by the way). Much of the time, what's going on is ignored, and later into the evening there doesn't seem to be any supervision whatsoever.
Perhaps we could have a campaign with bigger, way bigger, signs reminding people of the protocol and study rooms available for groups, etc. To change the loose ambience at Regenstein might take a very special someone specifically assigned to that task for a while. A person literally walking the floor, and/or reminding people as they come or go into the library for a while. Who knows. I don't know how long it took to come to this point, but it would be great to begin to turn around these bad habits and have a library which always has dignity and respect for quiet study. Isn't that it's intention?
Determining the appropriate noise level (if any) inside Regenstein has been an issue for some time. On one hand, some researchers want and deserve silent spaces to concentrate while using the collections. Other researchers want and deserve spaces to interact collaboratively on their research. (I stipulate cell phone conversations may not be strictly research-related, but students discussing, say, their economics problem set in loud tones would have been equally disruptive.)
The Library is in the awkward position of trying to satisfy both groups. While our official policy is that the entire building is a space for quiet study and research, and we are quite happy to shush people upon request, it is impractical for us to impose a culture of quiet on the entire building, especially in late evening when the circulation supervisor is the only full-time staff member on duty.
Our current thinking on this subject focuses on creating "deep quiet" zones after the new Mansueto Library opens. However, the first floor probably will always be somewhat noisy, simply because there will always be some noise from patrons entering the library and traffic at the circulation desk. For quieter surroundings, we suggest the B-Level or study desks in the bookstacks.
