(928) 282-7714
Sedona Public Library
  • Home
  • Search Catalog
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • Donate
    • Our Donors
    • Donor Spotlight Archive
  • Resources
    • Tech2Go
    • Appointments
    • Tools & Databases
    • Computer Access
    • Digital Collections
    • Stay Connected
    • Interlibrary Loans
    • Culture Passes
    • Sedona Books & Movies
    • Veterans History Project
    • Sedona Obituaries
    • Community Links
    • Help For Seniors
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • SPL IN THE VILLAGE CALENDAR
    • Scheduling
  • Youth Services
    • Online Resources
    • Online Story Time
    • Craft Kits
    • Music with Annette
    • StoryWalk
    • STEAM
    • Cool Sites
    • Teen Volunteers
    • Youth Services Newsletter
  • About
    • Mission/Vision
    • Become a Friend of the Library
    • How Do I ... ? >
      • Volunteer
      • Get a Library Card
      • Request a Purchase
      • Donate to SPL
    • Contact
    • Policies
    • History
    • Hours & Locations
    • SPL in the Village
    • Sedona Schnebly Statue
    • Jobs
    • Publications
  • Home
  • Search Catalog
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • Donate
    • Our Donors
    • Donor Spotlight Archive
  • Resources
    • Tech2Go
    • Appointments
    • Tools & Databases
    • Computer Access
    • Digital Collections
    • Stay Connected
    • Interlibrary Loans
    • Culture Passes
    • Sedona Books & Movies
    • Veterans History Project
    • Sedona Obituaries
    • Community Links
    • Help For Seniors
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • SPL IN THE VILLAGE CALENDAR
    • Scheduling
  • Youth Services
    • Online Resources
    • Online Story Time
    • Craft Kits
    • Music with Annette
    • StoryWalk
    • STEAM
    • Cool Sites
    • Teen Volunteers
    • Youth Services Newsletter
  • About
    • Mission/Vision
    • Become a Friend of the Library
    • How Do I ... ? >
      • Volunteer
      • Get a Library Card
      • Request a Purchase
      • Donate to SPL
    • Contact
    • Policies
    • History
    • Hours & Locations
    • SPL in the Village
    • Sedona Schnebly Statue
    • Jobs
    • Publications

Weekly News Column

The History Behind the Not-So-Quiet Library

8/19/2016

 
A few weeks ago, while working near the fireplace at Sedona Public Library, enjoying this quiet space and the views, both outside and inside the picture windows, I was delighted by two young patrons I saw. These boys, probably eight or nine years old, using their polite “inside” voices, seemed to be arguing about the location of something. I remembered that a treasure hunt was on the agenda for the afternoon, led by author and musician Matt Hall, and I realized these boys were on a quest.

One of them looked my way, whispered to the other, then cautiously approached:
“Do you work here?” the brown-haired boy whispered.
“I do,” I whispered back.
He quickly elbowed his friend and whispered, “Told ya!”
“Where is the archeological pillar?” his friend asked.

In an effort not to give away too much, but so happy to help these little guys, I simply said “that direction,” and I pointed across the way.  They scurried off, excited to find the pillar that is built with a distinct array of rock types making up the Sedona landscape.

It occurred to me that these boys defy the ongoing arguments and complaints about “kids these days” and how noisy they are, and “libraries these days” and how they have lost their quiet spaces. These boys appeared to be just a couple of nice kids who know how to use, enjoy, and whisper in a library without causing disruptions.

This got me to thinking: why do we believe we must be quiet in a library? Libraries, in fact, were not historically places of silence and solitude. According to The Christian Science Monitor, they were relatively rowdy places: “The great monastic libraries of medieval Europe, contrary to the popular stereotype, were not silent study halls for cloistered monks. They were noisy places . . . some visitors called them ‘houses of mumblers’ because the monks liked to recite their texts out loud . . . devoted not just to book preservation but to bringing scholars together to work with each other.”
 
While so much is written about how tradition has been forsaken by libraries taking on the role of community centers, offering entertainment, education, conversation, and other civic opportunities, maybe the world is actually just coming full circle. At Sedona Public Library, while there is a lineup of daily activities for children and adults alike, there are also beautiful nooks and niches where a quieter atmosphere is available. In fact, we have a room dedicated to just such solitude: the Quiet Study.

In the Library, you may very well hear background singing when you visit to read your favorite magazines, or you might overhear a conversation as you fax paperwork to your lawyer. Yes, moments of commotion are inevitable; it is the modern way. Or, better put, the historical way.

We are happy to receive feedback about your experience here, and happy to learn how we can better serve your needs, for quiet or for noise. This is your library, and as we consider a substantial renovation project, your input is vital to the planning stage.
 
Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are grateful for the support of the City of Sedona, Yavapai and Coconino Counties, businesses, foundations, and individuals like you. You can support your public library with a charitable tax-deductible donation. Visit us at 3250 White Bear Road, in Bell Rock Plaza, or online at www.sedonalibrary.org.

​Sedona Public Library
Column for August 19, 2016
Written by Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director

Comments are closed.

    About

    Library News appears each Friday in the Red Rock News.​


    Archives

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

My Account
RFQ
JOBS

Subscribe

Start receiving our e-newsletters today!
Subscribe

Sedona Public Library

3250 White Bear Road
​
Sedona, AZ 86336

​
Phone: (928) 282-7714
​
Fax: (928) 282-5789

Email us


HOURS AND LOCATIONS 

Sedona Public Library in the Village

​25 W. Saddlehorn Road
Sedona, AZ 86351

​Phone: (928) 282-7714
HOURS AND LOCATIONS

BOARD LOGIN

VOLUNTEER LOGIN

EIN 86-6052627
©2022 Sedona Public Library