How to behave in a library

Here is an interesting article written by Sarah Carter at Howtodothings.com. The advice, though written in an American context, is applicable to library users everywhere and students of ITB should pay attention to it.



How To Behave in a Library

When you visit a library there are rules to follow; there is also a certain way that you should act. The librarian is there to help and assist you, but if you are loud and disruptive the friendly librarian might take a not-so-friendly tone and ask you to leave. To avoid the embarrassment of being asked to leave the library, follow these guidelines on the proper way to behave inside of a library.

Be quiet and respectful of those around you. If you and your friends are in the mood to gossip, then a library is not the place for you. People go to a library to study in a nice quiet atmosphere and not be disrupted by loud talking, giggling and laughing.

Turn off your cellphones and pagers. No one wants to be distracted by the constant ringing of cellphones or beeping of pagers. While you are in the library, either put your cellphone on vibrate or turn it off completely. Not only will your cellphone ringing distract those around you but if you choose to answer the phone call then your phone conversation will also bother the people around you.

Remember the library is a place to study, not a cafeteria. Eat your lunch or dinner before you head into the library. If you must have a snack, then take a break and go outside to eat your chips or candy bar. The crinkling of a chip bag and crunching of chips are a lot louder than you think when you are in a quiet environment.

You are not at home so don't kick off your shoes while you are studying. Keep in mind that there are other people in the library and they definitely don't want to sit there and smell your feet. Not only that but if you take your shoes off and have to get up to get a new book or drink of water you will be walking on a floor full of germs and risk getting athlete's foot or an infection of some type.

Many people have forgotten the proper way to behave in a library. Hopefully by reading this it will refresh those rules that you learned as a child and will improve the way many people act while visiting a public library.