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[utexas-catherinegavin]

Sonic Ethnography

The ways in which sound encourages and facilitate socializing in formally silent spaces.

This is an audio recording of Yarborough Library in Austin, Texas on July 30th, 2022.

The importance of children in libraries and their (obvious) inclination to make noise.

The infrastructure which is present in libraries which effects how sound is heard.

How the sounds in a library have (or will) change.

As I walked into Yarborough Library, after spending hours and hours at seemingly similar spaces, the first thing that struck me was the noise. Usually, when I am taking field notes I struggle to go unnoticed. Even opening a notebook or setting up my laptop can create an auditory disturbance that raises eyes. The feeling of a library reminds me of the notion of "Quiet" as written by Tina M Campt “Quiet must not be conflated with silence. Quiet registers sonically, as a level of intensity that requires focused attention.” Tina M. Camp, Listening to Images.  

However, at Yarborough the energy was different. It was the afternoon, still not the hottest time of day. Even so, the AC was a relief from the 100+ degree weather and this refreshment was noticeable in the patrons inside.

There were groups congregated around each corner of the floor. The two bookkeepers behind the desk carried a loud conversation without even glancing over when I walked in.

The loudest noise was coming from my right. As I walked over, passing two elderly women chatting by the computer lounge, there was a cracked door. A pool of flashing lights and loud music. A little boys birthday party was taking place in the middle of a library! As they shut the door, however, the loud music quickly muffled.

Libraries are not a space which we expect sound. In fact, quite the opposite. The idea of a library often reminds us of being hushed or the quiet turning of pages. However, this understanding of the space does not reflect current realities.

The audio above was recorded while I walked around the perimeter of Yarborough Library. This space, which has been renovated since its first inception as a movie theater, is flat and single storied. What is unique to this space was that the building was not created with its current purpose in mind. Unlike older Libraries this space was engineered to hold sound; and after spending a few hours there this is clear.

Libraries which are designed thoughtfully are a more welcoming environment for social interaction. In this case, however, the Yarborough Library was designed with the invention of entertainment. This idea relates well to the ways in which children fill an important role in the success of a library. All three of the libraries I visited had specific infrastructure which both helped to expand the social interaction of its patrons while also catering to youth.

Often, libraries have large and specific sections which are primarily used for children. These areas are often the most comfortable, looked after, and thoughtfully designed. Perhaps that is because more children go to libraries or vice versa. 

As kids are staying home with their parents, who are more and more likely to work virtually, Libraries become a space for both adults who need a workspace and children who need entertainment. Yarborough, in it's unique instance, is particularly interesting. This library, which was designed with entertaining in mind, may be a glimpse in the future of public library design and infrastructure.

The materials which were used to design the Americana Theater 80 years ago, would likely have included acoustic insulation boards, wall partitions which mitigate noise, and particular drywall with acoustic insulation. These choices, common to all movie theaters, are likely still present in Yarborough, and perhaps one of the reasons why it is a hub for loud social activity.

Perhaps, as libraries get noisier, the architectural and infrastructural designs will look more like Yarborough.