Laughing all the way to the library

As a student who lives some distance from the university, I am fortunate enough to benefit from access to a much closer university library. This is a great scheme. The library is new, light and airy with three floors, the top one of which when I arrived last Autumn was a designated 'silent floor'. There were notices everywhere – the ground floor was for group study, the first floor talking was allowed, the second floor was a whisper only floor while the top, third floor, was silent and allowed no eating either. There were even notices displaying a text number for assistance in case anyone flouted the rule of silence. 

Last week I was shocked and saddened as there appeared on the third-floor replacement notices proclaiming that talking was now allowed, as were snacks. The sanctuary of munch free, silent zone has disappeared. 

I am a mature student and have been in and around libraries for a long time. I know several people who met their partners long ago in university libraries. These were the settings for romance and heartbreak, at times emotional hotbeds filled with distant and sometimes not so distant longing. These friends told me they bonded over the reference section in the biology library and mentioned furtive smiles turning into shared giggles and often partially suppressed fits of laughter as the relationship blossomed. 

These adventures aside, the predominant purpose of attendance is study, not entertainment or socialising. 

Reflecting on why I was so upset by the news of stolen silence, I thought about the change in the libraries today from my earliest use in the 1980s. There were no computers. There was no internet. Physical copies of journals lined the shelves and articles could be photocopied, but it was pricey. Books were physical and could be borrowed (and they are cumbersome). Things were very different when I first studied in the library.  

But what about now? Where can we escape from constant stimulation, distraction, expression and connectedness? Where can we get lost in our own world to really stop and think without fear of interruption? There is a wealth of evidence connecting constant stimulation to poor mental health. There is a wealth of evidence that having less stimulation and taking time, whether it is to read, to think, to reflect, to plan, to savour, or even to appreciate the silent presence of a potential partner is good for our mental wellbeing. 

So, let’s laugh all the way to the library, setting ourselves up for a super-productive study session in a haven free from frustration and distraction. Then, let’s settle down, snackless, for some silent smiles of appreciation at what the space holds for us and do what the library is designed to support – reflection and study.