Malpractices - Bunda - Noise in the Library

SHH! THIS IS THE LIBRARY!

Miss Bookish took a deep breath to calm her nerves. There she was, seated at a far corner of the library, desperately trying to cram all sorts of information into her cranium when a group of giggling, gossiping and gamboling girls sat beside her at the table. Miss Bookish ignored them and tried her best to remain focused on her notes. The girls, however, continued to annoy her with their silly topics of boys, make-up, more boys, clothes, boys yet again, etc., etc. Miss Bookish finally lost it when one of the girls banged her fist on the table and shook with uncontrollable laughter, causing Miss Bookish to jump out of her seat. Miss Bookish then glared at the girls, hissed at them, and signaled that they keep quiet.

She hoped they would get the message. She hoped they would move out to gossip someplace else. She hoped they would leave her in peace.

The girls twittered away, however, and acted as though Miss Bookish were air. She was thinking of horrifying punishments for the errant library users when the bell rang and they noisily gathered their things. She, too, hurriedly gathered her things, and glaring at the girls’ backs, fell into step behind them, then afterwards sighed and shook her head.

Miss Bookish’s dilemma is not uncommon. Many regular “library geeks” in Ateneo de Zamboanga University know that noise inside the library has become a tradition, of sorts.

One such library geek, Heras Capitanea, a sophomore taking up BSMA, says “nakakainis minsan” (Sometimes it’s irritating) when other students make noise. “Library is library diba; it’s supposed to be a place for studying”. He later adds: “Pero minsan din nag-iingay kami, minsan lang naman” (But sometimes we make noise, too).

“Hindi talaga maiwasan ang pag-usap” (Talking can’t be helped inside the library) shares freshman Trazacil Jimenez, a BSMA student. “Kasi kung may assignment, kailangan ng sharing of ideas, kaya hindi na nasusunod yung observe silence rule” (The observe silence rule is ignored because we need to share ideas while doing our assignments).

While Capitanea and Jimenez admit that noise is unavoidable in the library, a 3rd year BS Psychology student, however, has this to say: “Yeesh. Mga buang jud sila. Maingay kasi. ‘Di ako makaconcentrate kasi ang ingay nila (People are nuts. They’re too noisy. I can’t study because of the noise).

Some students use the library for its intended purposes. Many students, though, seek the library for more colorful reasons.

Amilbahar Mawallil, a 4th year student at BSMC confesses that he goes to the library simply to sleep. “Pumupunta ako don kasi malamig ‘yung aircon, masarap matulog. Sa clinic sana, kasi may kama, kaso wala naman akong sakit, kaya sa library na lang” (I go to the library because it’s a perfect place for sleeping. I thought of going to the clinic because they have a bed there, but I wasn’t sick, so I’d go to the library). He also admitted that “kaso, minsan hindi ako makatulog kasi maingay, kaya pagdating ng mga friends ko, mag-iingay na lang rin ako” (Sometimes I can’t sleep because of the noise so when my friends come I just chat with them).

Some, like senior Nursing student Gem Dayrit, shares her sentiments with Mawallil: “Maganda mag-ingay don! Gustung-gusto ko don. ‘Di naman kami napapagalitan, nagtiting-ting (referring to the bell-ringer) lang man sila sa ‘min” (I like it there! Even if we make noise, they just ring the bell and that’s it.)

Senior BSMC student Almera Sulan also admits that she makes noise in the library whenever the library staff is out of sight. “Kapag masarap yung usapan minsan ‘di ko na napapansin na lumalakas na pala yung boses ko (I get really loud when a story is so interesting).”

Noise in the library had not only earned the ire of students, but also the ire of the librarians. Nikko Ballovar, usually found on the ground floor at the Periodical section, expresses her frustration with the noisemakers. “I’m very frustrated with those people because of the noise they make. Although there are other places where they could go to talk, they insist on coming here and make noise. It’s supposed to be a library, a place for reading and studying, and yet they are doing just the opposite.”

Emiline Tuazon, the Reference Staff, says she feels sorry for the students who read and study there. “They get distracted by the noise, and they can’t concentrate” she says.

To combat the noise caused by students, the library staff installed aluminum glass frames to the tables, effectively separating the groups of students. This has generated mixed feedback from both the library staff and students. For Tuazon, the glass frames have helped reduce the noise inside the libray. “Since there’s a wall between them, they can concentrate more on their work instead of talking to their friends. Besides, the frames were designed so each student can have their own personal work space so they can work solo.”

Students like Felomena Baal, a 4th year from BSMC, think that the frames are ineffective. “May naririnig pa rin akong bulung-bulongan, nakakairita. Sumikip lang tuloy ang library” (I can still hear people whispering, it’s irritating. The library feels more cramped than before).

The 3rd year Psychology student who insists to remain unnamed said that “parang nasa loob ako ng aquarium. I know it’s supposed to reduce noise pero maingay pa rin. Yeesh. (I feel like I’m in an aquarium. It’s supposed to reduce noise but people are still noisy).

Asked whether the frames have clammed up noisemakers, Mawallil said that he has doubts. “Hindi man. ‘yung iba sige pa rin sa pagkukuwentuhan. ‘Dun nila mina-maximize yung pagkuwentuhan nila sa mga tables na wala pang frames” (Not really. I still see people talking at tables where there are no frames).

Whether students frequent the library for the right reasons or not, it is no doubt one of the most popular places to stay in. For Miss Bookish, her kindred souls, and the librarians, time will tell when students will eventually find the heart to regard that simple yet venerable sign: OBSERVE SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY.

…Ssh!