SINGAPORE: One Singaporean woman was shocked when she walked into Tampines Library and was greeted by a rowdy, chaotic atmosphere.
She took to r/SingaporeRaw to share what she witnessed, writing, “I decided to drop by Tampines Library while running an errand [and] I was shocked.
Sure, it’s Sunday and families with kids are out in full force, but it felt like a playground for noisy little ones with no regard for the library’s quiet rule, and the adults weren’t much better, chattering loudly themselves.”
The Singaporean mentioned that she hadn’t visited a public library in years since she’d been buying books or using Libby. However, she didn’t expect to find that the library, once a quiet spot for reading and studying, had turned into a hangout place.
“Is library etiquette a thing of the past? What am I missing? Have I missed something? Is this the new normal, or did I just happen to visit when all the kids were in need of their afternoon nap at the same time?” she asked.
“Libraries here have been alternative playgrounds for years.”
Many netizens joined the discussion, stating that they, too, have noticed that libraries have shifted from being quiet sanctuaries to noisy playgrounds.
One netizen lamented, “Tell me about it man…. libraries aren’t libraries anymore.” Another said, “Libraries here have been alternative playgrounds for years.”
A third netizen expressed, “I wish librarians and libraries would step up on this reminding of whole silence thing. It really spoils the atmosphere. I miss those days when it was just silence in the library. Now a lot of people treating library like their daycare option.”
A fourth shared her experience, writing, “I stared at this man shouting at his kids in SK library. He had the gall to come ask me why I stare at him and then return for seconds with his kids in tow. I hope his kids will be better educated than him socially.”
Others, meanwhile, pointed out that ‘times have changed.’ Libraries need to be more inclusive to encourage kids to read more. One netizen explained that it’s unrealistic to expect young children to be quiet all the time.
While most parents will try to keep their kids in check, some will always find it harder to manage their little ones. One netizen added, “I bet when people talk about library etiquette, their idea is either living in the 90s or the “ghostbuster library scene” type.
We are living in the 2024 where people go to library to hangout chit chat with friends, go there enjoy aircon, occupy seats to be on mobile and laptops, choping up their powerpoints to charge our mobiles, listening to music loudly, kids are free to run around and screaming when they are in library, elders still chope the newspapers, and mess up the books arrangements or simply anyhow put the books so others can’t find them at the right shelve.”
Featured image by Depositphotos