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Reading Karen MacPherson’s May 14 Book World essay, “Go ahead, make some noise: Libraries should be loud,” reminded me of a summer reading program that I volunteered for several years ago. At the beginning of the final session, each student got to pick out an armful of free books. I assumed we would then pair up with the kids and spend the rest of the time reading together to bond them with their new treasures. Instead, the books were set aside and a children’s librarian arrived to lead the kids in games of Simon Says and duck, duck, goose. I found a serious-looking little girl who was eager to delve into her new books, and the two of us did our best to read to each other amid the clamor.
I worry that “loud librarians,” with their emphasis on noisy and strenuous activities, run the risk of shortchanging the very act they’re trying to promote: reading! Is Ms. MacPherson’s beloved “loud library” really an ecosystem that will encourage kids (or anyone else) to focus their minds on the pages of a book? A quiet library isn’t “sad,” as one of Ms. MacPherson’s colleagues claimed. Instead, beneath the surface, it can be full of the energy and excitement of engaged minds.
Conrad Berger, Hyattsville
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