It’s about 3:00 on Wednesday and I’m at the Sebastopol Library. This library was recently renovated and I love it, but I’m old enough to remember when libraries were quiet. This one is not quiet. There is a lot to hear at the library.
What do I hear at the library?
- The voices of librarians and the people who ask librarians questions.
- Children exclaiming with delight over books they’ve discovered.
- Babies fussing.
- Babies crying.
- Crying dopplering away as parents whisk crying babies outside.
- The whirr of backpack and laptop case zippers. (Other zippers? I certainly hope not!)
- Soft thunk and thud of books loaded onto carts.
- Soft thunk of books being shelved.
- Windows music triumphantly announcing a successful launch.
- Jingle of the leash on the stocky golden retriever service dog.
- “Ooof!” of the service dog as he plops down under his human’s chair.
- “Ooooh!” of the silver-haired lady who wants to pet the service dog.
- Clicking of keys at the computer station behind me.
- Clicking of my keys.
- Rustle of newspapers and magazines. Sharper rustle of plastic bags.
- Beep, tinkle, chime and salsa-dance of various cell phones.
- Throat-clearing.
- A cough. An answering cough.
- High-pitched beep of the optical scanner at the self-serve check out station.
- A giggle. An answering giggle.
- Whispers.