Summary

Librarians have mixed feelings about shushing patrons, with some enjoying the act as part of their duty to maintain a quiet environment, while others find it stressful or unnecessary.

Abstract

The article "To Shush or Not to Shush?" delves into the attitudes of librarians towards shushing, a traditional method of enforcing silence in libraries. The author, who works in a library, expresses personal enjoyment in shushing and supports this by citing a positive reception from fellow librarians on social media. However, the topic is divisive among the profession, with a range of opinions from those who see shushing as an essential part of their role to those who prefer alternative methods of noise control. Some librarians embrace shushing as a superpower, while others avoid it unless absolutely necessary, often due to the negative reactions it can provoke. The article highlights the changing nature of library work, yet the core value of libraries as a sanctuary of quiet remains, along with the librarian's role in preserving that tranquility.

Opinions

The author enjoys shushing and has received support from other librarians online.
Some librarians have no qualms about shushing and view it as part of their job to enforce quiet indoor voices.
There are librarians who use shushing sparingly, reserving it for cell phone use but not for engaging conversations or debates.
A number of librarians prefer to ask patrons to keep noise down rather than using an actual shush.
Shushing can cause stress for some librarians, who only do it at the request of other patrons.
There are libraries that have adopted a no-shush policy, prohibiting librarians from shushing.
Experienced librarians may use non-verbal cues like "the look" or hand gestures to signal for quiet.
Some librarians point out to patrons that their conversations can be overheard by others as a tactic to reduce noise.
Negative experiences with shushing include being ignored, sworn at, or labeled as a "Library Nazi."
Librarians appreciate being thanked by other patrons for enforcing quiet, indicating the value of a peaceful library environment.
The use of technology, such as a dec

To Shush or Not to Shush?

How Do Librarians Really Feel About Shutting You Down With A Shush?

I work in a library and I enjoy shushing people.

Shutting down somebody who is hollering into their phone at top volume in the Quiet Reading Room is, for me, one of the joys of library work.

I am not alone in this. When I recently posted “I Love To Shush!” on my favorite Facebook Librarian Hangout? It earned 182 Likes.

It also inspired 87 comments, both pro and con. How do we librarians really feel about shushing you? Here’s a sampling:

I never hesitate to shush. Indoor voices, please.

I consider my ability to shush to be one of my superpowers as a librarian. But I try to use it sparingly.

Shushing is appropriate for people on cell phones. But not when people are having an engaging debate or conversation.

Asking a patron to keep the noise down is fine. But an actual shush? Never.

Shushing stresses me out. I only do it when another patron asks me to.

Our library is a Shush-Free zone. We aren’t allowed to shush people.

I have no need to shush. As a seasoned librarian, I have “the look” down.

I don’t shush. Instead, I perform a little gesture with my arms that signals Keep It Down. That gesture, with a friendly smile, usually does the trick.

Sometimes it helps to point out to the loud mouth that everyone around them can hear their conversation.

I was on my way over to quiet a patron once and before I reached her, she’d managed to announce her credit card information to the entire library. One can only hope that the quiet-loving patrons who were using our computers didn’t immediately go to their favorite online stores and start charging things to her.

I see it as a necessary evil, but I don’t enjoy it.

I hate to shush. I do it very politely but I’ve still been sworn at, called a Library Nazi, and worst of all, been totally ignored.

A patron once told me to “lower my voice an octave.” Still scratching my head about that one.

A woman was talking on her cell yesterday with her speaker on. When I asked her to lower her voice she said loudly, “I gotta go. The librarian just told me to shut up.” (That’s not what I said.)

Sometimes it just has to be done, but it always makes me anxious.

A woman recently sat down at a table in the Quiet Reading Area, pulled out her laptop and proceeded to participate in a back-and-forth that we could hear across the room. When I asked her to keep the volume down, she hissed, “Don’t tell me to be quiet. This is a Webinar!”

I never shush. Instead I usually throw a dictionary at the perpetrator. Is that wrong? (Wink.)

One of our librarians makes use of a decibel meter app. Our patrons seem to appreciate that approach.

I never shush. Although I have been known to walk up to a group of loud patrons and say, “Don’t make me shush you!”

I don’t enjoy shushing people. On the other hand, I do appreciate the looks of gratitude I get from other patrons when I shut down someone who is being disruptive and obnoxious.

What can we conclude?

Library work has changed a lot over the decades, but the library’s value as an oasis of calm and quiet has not. Nor has the librarian’s time-honored ability to shush.

Loud in the library? Many of us, it seems, do not relish the task of shutting you down. As for me?

Go ahead. Make my day.

(This essay appears in Just Another Day At Your Local Public Library by Roz Warren, who writes for everyone from the Funny Times to the New York Times and is also the author of Our Bodies, Our Shelves: A Collection of Library Humor If you want to buy inscribed copies or just want to say hi, you can reach her at [email protected])

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