I have recently embarked on a diploma...self disciplined study is in fact the hardest kind! Finding all manner of distractions at home I decided to wander along to my local library. The last time I graced my local library with my presence I was indeed a student, and found it the perfect, 'quiet' place to get my head down and focus.
But apparently the term 'library' no longer constitutes that quiet place where silence echoes and stern looking women watch with beady eyes for any sign of disobedience. Instead it is over run with teenagers with nothing better to do but blast music from their iphones and shout obscenities at each other, people spilling coffee over books and computers, mobile phones ringing and a steady stream of young kids (who appear to have no school to go to) running about and yelling. Now I don't want to come across as a grumpy 'old' woman but what happened to the 'shhh it's a library'?
On passing comment to the chap sat next to me, his response was 'it is now referred to as a 'Discovery Centre'. And much to my disappointment, on leaving the building, I did in fact see the sign 'Winchester Discovery Centre'. Clearly not a place for people to discover peace and quiet, so I shall return home where I know no discovery is needed...
A discovery centre?! Please. It's an excuse not to deal with the fact that no one can handle silence any more and that people have this need for constant noise and distraction from aspects of their life that they want to avoid/not think about etc.
ReplyDeleteI'll be a grummpy old women with you :)