Characters at the Library

The past couple of weeks I've spent ample amount of time at the Richmond Hill Public Library system for a variety of things.   While at the libraries I've noticed some interesting characters who just don't understand what the library is used for because they have no idea the rules and expectations of the library environment.

The first is no food in the library except at the coffee shop.  This means you shouldn't bring your Swiss Chalet take out and hang out in the magazine area.  It also doesn't matter if you are homeless looking and have a McDonald's bag to go with your finished chicken bones, No food means NO FOOD!

In the quiet study area of the library where there are tables for people to work on their laptops, read quietly, and complete homework.  There are explicit signs on the tables of the expectations which included no talking and no cell phone use.  Yet we have people yapping away on their cell phones and attempting great feats of oratory that would make Winston Churchill seem like a whiny five year old.  There are places for talking, try outside on Yonge Street on a soap box!  The library is for quiet reading and writing, a place to contemplate life to oneself and not with anyone else!  It is also not a place for necking either.  If you need to do this with what I presume to be your significant other than you perhaps you should book a room at the Summit Motel, I hear their rates are real cheap!  Oh, and necking in the stacks isn't an option either, cross that off the list.  But koodos to you guys for even finding where the library is.

People who just don't understand the concept of equal space for everyone.  While sitting at the quiet study area take a gander at the entire area.  See what the space is like and where people are sitting. You know, get the lay of the land.  That will prevent you from sitting down right next to me even though there are another ten more chairs available for your sitting pleasure that are all the same as the one right next to me.

What has ever happened to library etiquette?  It is really simple really, libraries are quiet places for reading, taking notes and writing.  Some libraries, like the Aurora Public Library, have rooms available for group work, this is where small group discussion can take place. Otherwise please keep your mouth shut or whisper only if you absolutely need to but this shouldn't be longer than "honey, I'll be over there in fiction section."  That's all people, there is no more to a library, no eating, drinking or having debates worthy of the House of Commons.  It's simple really, reading, writing and arithmatic,  that's all a library is used for nothing else.