I think there should be quiet areas of the library, so people can read, study, and think, but in general I think the library should be an active place where books and ideas are discussed, recommended and shared.

I also think that more people would utilize and spend time at the library if they viewed it as a community gathering place rather than a book mausoleum.

I agree that sharing ideas is important, but instead of going to the library to become involved in your community, maybe you should go to your local community center.

By programming events like picture-book story-time, librarians create valuable social experiences that connect children to the library's collection. Similarly, I think that scheduling other kinds of social programs would draw in more patrons, and connect them to holdings and services that they might not know their library even has.

I agree that there are obvious benefits to having quiet areas of a library (see above), I definitely seek out a reading room or a study area when I'm doing homework, but why should the whole library institution stay a "SHHHH" zone? I'm all ears.

Yes ! who can do something while there so much noise!

I like it this way! peace and quiet! :D

bobbipyn has a good point, but i think it should be the other way around! there should be like a discussion room or something but mostly it should be quiet and focused place.

Not silent though, thats creepy. I like it when theirs the quite hum. Whispers, the sound of pages turning, clicking keys on the computer, footsteps, quite laughter, breathing, sometimes music being played. Just those sounds that remind you, you may be in your own world, lost in a book but your surrounded by other people too

I agree with athenabeth on this. However, I also agree with bobbipyn about how a library should be active, but I think talking in a library should be in a quiet voice. In my ideal library, people would be discussing books and reading, and it would overall be quiet. But I couldnt take it is children eere running in the library screaming.

I think the library should sooo be quiet it wouldn't make sense any other way

i think the library should be a quiet place, but maybe there could also be some areas were you can talk in groups about everything,like news, how are things in the world... a place were you can discus with everyone of everything, like a forum...

Not the public libraries - I enjoy the kids coming to the library and feeling it a fun place to be. If we were too strict on the noise, some of the kids might not learn to appreciate the library.

Yes it should because people do their work there on their laptops,the study and some people go there to do their homework.People should definitely use their inside voices when they're inside the library.
If you start screaming or talking in a really loud way then the librarian ould get mad.
And people try very hard to concentrate on what they're doing.So it's best if the library is a quiet place.
And besides the rule is to be quiet when you go to the library anyways.

But not totally quiet.