Yesterday afternoon, Sunday April 27, one of the two reading areas in the building that styles itself as a library, a raucous get-together of young women destroyed whatever library decorum remains in this facility. Loud laughter, boisterous exchanges, a complete absence of consciousness of where they were and who was sharing that space at that time.
When I complained to the librarian, she responded by saying that the women had reserved the time for their meeting. How is that in any rational way an explanation?
She referred me to the Suggestion Box. Right. Years of notes dropped into that box to request a simple fix to the unlocked stall door in the tiny mens room -- it hangs open, blocking the entrance and exit -- have gone to the library director and then, apparently, to the waste basket.
A rational explanation for that raucous meeting? Here is the rationale: the staff long ago appropriated the downstairs meeting room, our communitys meeting room, for their exclusive use. No admittance to the public. There are no more quiet spaces in this "library." Meetings now take place in the midst of readers.
Staff recommends ear plugs, as if that works. Noise dampening headphones playing rainfall dont work. Ear plugs are a convenient fig leaf. Who can argue with a solution offered by a tone-deaf and all-powerful staff that appropriated for itself the only space in the building meant for unrestrained conversations?
The council has a deaf ear too does it not? Heaven forbid you should restore something maneuvered out of our hands and to the exclusive interest of library staff. They can never be held to account.
Years ago, at the time that wealthy benefactor who has his name plastered above the new gym complex offered to build a new library, I felt good about the council rejecting his offer if he wasnt going to build one for the residents east of 101.
I now regret my support for the council.
Tone deaf!!!
D Boyce
Cambridge Ave
