I wear earplugs regularly when I ride my motorcycle and I can
still hear car engines, dinky car horns, distant sirens, etc. just fine.
For you to imply that earplugs block out the noise of someone talking on
a cell phone across the table from a library researcher is not accurate.
Historically, libraries have been zones of quiet for researchers and
readers. Libraries can arrange for some confined area for those who
need to talk/conference but by and large, they should remain quiet.
Cell phone users can go elsewhere to talk but library users by and large
cannot since they cannot always remove the materials they need from the
premises. There is a time and place for just about everything in life
and cell phone users need to learn those boundaries.
Nanna Frye, Law Librarian
Court of Appeal
San Diego, CA
________________________________
From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu] On
Behalf Of Priscilla Streightoff
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 3:56 PM
To: Information Bridges Intl Judith Siess; Sharon Wayland; Lawlib
Subject: Re: Cellphone Users
To paraphrase the bird in the hand saying: A pair of earplugs in my
purse is worth a thousand signs.
There are several solutions to the "problem" of cell phone usage. One
can be proactive planning by a personally empowered non-listener.
Another can be thoughtful usage by the cell phone user (quiet text
messaging; or moving to an enclosed area). Either person can find a
way that "works."
When I went back to school as a non-traditional student (read older) I
was surprised at the noise level in the academic library in which I
studied (this was before law school, where the library was truly quiet -
so it was another type of graduate school library). My reaction:
hmmm, it's louder now in libraries. It really didn't occur to me to
demand that everyone else defer to my needs. I went out and bought some
earplugs. The problem dissolved.
I think it is unrealistic to expect most people to forego cell phone use
for prolonged periods of time. When they are collaborating on a
research project, it could be counterproductive. A no cell phone use
requirement could well drive people away from the library.
Earplugs, as one option among several, also can block noise from
children, chatty adults, electronic equipment of many types (air
conditioners, copiers, computers, automatic doors...), and on.
It's one solution - not the only solution. However, it is a solution
any individual can control without eliciting cooperation from others.
Priscilla M. Streightoff
Law Librarian
Clark, Thomas & Winters,
A Professional Corporation
300 West 6th Street, Suite 1500
Austin, Texas 78701-3902
Phone : (512) 472-8800 x1218
Fax : (512) 474-1129 ATTN: P. Streightoff
Email : pms@ctw.com
>>> "Judith Siess, Information Bridges Intl" <jsiess@ibi-opl.com>
8/31/2007 5:13 PM >>>
I disagree.
The problem is not with those hearing the conversations but with those
talking. Make them be quiet.
Judy
At 12:45 PM 8/31/2007, Priscilla Streightoff wrote:
Sharon,
You could consider providing a jar of disposable earplugs for
the patrons who are bothered by the conversations.
Some other thoughts:
1. Ask the callers to answer the call just long enough to ask
the other person to text message instead.
2. Some of the other patrons may consider the situation an
opportunity for free competitive intelligence.
3. The situation is ubiquitous. Some of the patrons who are
not on the phone may be able to tune out the conversations, as they do
in the other settings of their lives.
Priscilla M. Streightoff
Law Librarian
Clark, Thomas & Winters,
A Professional Corporation
300 West 6th Street, Suite 1500
Austin, Texas 78701-3902
Phone : (512) 472-8800 x1218
Fax : (512) 474-1129 ATTN: P. Streightoff
Email : pms@ctw.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This transmittal, including attachments,
if any, is intended for a
particular addressee (s), and may contain confidential and
privileged information. If it is not clear
that you are the intended recipient, you are hereby notified
that you have received this transmittal
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dissemination or use of the contents of this
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>>> "Sharon Wayland" <SWayland@TarrantCounty.com> 8/31/2007
10:33 AM >>>
I know this has been discussed before but our problem with
cellphone users has become increasingly worse and I am wondering if
others are having the same difficulties. Fort Worth sits on top of a
huge natural gas reserve and so our library (and the entire courthouse
for that matter) has very recently been overrun by people doing oil and
gas research. They talk on their cellphones incessantly and no amount
of warning and signposting has seemed to help. We used to allow them to
keep their phones turned on in vibrate mode but the phone conversations
became so loud and annoying, we recently posted signs tellling them to
shut them off completely. Now we are fighting with them all day long to
get them to KEEP them turned off. They are usually cooperative about
turning them off but almost invariably, end up turning them back on,
sometimes within just a few minutes. I am not talking about one or two
isolated cases but more like dozens every day.
What do you do when you have a large number of patrons who abuse
the rules constantly? This is public library and I hesitate to start
banning patrons.
Sharon Wayland
Tarrant County Law Library
100 W. Weatherford, Rm. 420
Fort Worth, TX 76196-0800
817-212-7228
Fax 817-884-1509
Judith A. Siess, B.A., M.A., M.S.L.I.S.
INFORMATION BRIDGES INTERNATIONAL, INC. /I\B/I\
477 Harris Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44143 USA
voice: +1-216-486-7443, fax: +1-216-486-8810, email: jsiess@ibi-opl.com,
on the web at http://www.ibi-opl.com <http://www.ibi-opl.com/> AND NOW
BLOGGING at http://opls.blogspot.com/
Publisher and Editor of The One-Person Library: A Newsletter for
Librarians and Management
The New OPL Sourcebook: A Guide for Solo and Small Libraries,
Information Today, Inc., 2006, ISBN 1-57387-241-5
The Essential OPL, 1998-2004: The Best of Seven Years of The One-Person
Library: A Newsletter for Librarians and Management,
Scarecrow Press, 2005, ISBN 0-8108-5429-5
The Visible Librarian: Asserting Your Value With Marketing and Advocacy,
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