When we first think of a library, we imagine silence; an undisturbed workspace with people who have the same goal: to get their work done. We are afraid to break such quietness that we abide by those unwritten rules and submerge ourselves into whatever is needed to be completed; then, we silently collect our belongings and leave without a trace. But that’s just an idea of what a library can be, or at least what it has always been. West High’s library isn’t much different; once you go in you notice a great majority of the students wearing headphones and completely focused on their homework, without lifting their heads up once or saying a word at all. But then, you look around and see that there are also students who are engaging in conversations with friends or playing board games like chess or checkers (some other board games like UNO are also available). What allows a space for recreation is the encouragement of these activities – board games sitting all around the library, round tables and casual arrangement of seats and couches which are ideal for socializing – and there is nothing wrong with that. The Teacher Librarian at West, Tania Quant-Dooley, explains that there had been a switch from how the library used to function traditionally; “Libraries have evolved over the past 10 years. You would go there only for the matter of books” she said. When asked about the functionality of West High’s library nowadays, Quant-Dooley described it as “lively and social”, explaining that “people just want to hang out”.
What might constitute a problem is if the students who engage in leisure time are a distraction for those who are trying to be productive; the answer can vary depending on who do you ask. When the bell rings for lunch time, the library immediately gets crowded; to find a spot you need to be a fast walker as multiple groups of people battle to find a seat since you cannot stand or sit on the floor. Once you find somewhere to stay, it’s time to get on with your work, so you put
your earbuds in and bring out your materials. However, you can’t resist but to look around and see what people are doing; or listen to what they’re saying (it can be a bit loud at times); you look to your right and see some students playing with the giant UNO cards, you then look to your left and you see a group of friends going crazy at an intense chess match. Without realizing it, 40 minutes go by and your laptop is still open waiting to be used, but you were too busy looking at how others spend their lunch time.
That might be a personal issue; perhaps there are people who can get on with their duties with no distractions whatsoever, but honestly that’s such a rare occurrence. When asked about the library’s ambience, Senior Betsy Belmonte described it as “noisy” and that headphones are a must if you are looking to concentrate on something. Belmonte also mentioned the librarian’s dynamics and raffles, which are not necessarily a con since they encourage students to interact with strangers, but at the same time they can also be disruptive. Although there are several elements of the library that seem detrimental for the student body, these activities are as advantageous and beneficial to the school spirit.
