Why do people insist on using their cell phones in the library?

Our library has three huge signs that ask you to turn your phone to silent or vibrate and to take calls outside, not inside. I have forgotten this a few times but there are people that just don't care. They have the volume all the way up then start having conversations ... the people that work they are right on top of it and don't waste a minute telling them to hang up or go outside.

Our Library has signs that say cell phone must be turned off but people still use them and are just plain rude about it. I really believe that cell phones should be banned from all public places. We went to the movies a couple of weeks ago and before the movie started they announced that cell phones should be turned off. Yet I saw all sorts of people using them. And it is not only the talking that is bothersome. With all the new colored displays, when people open up there phones to make a call and it lites up a circle around them then it interrupts and detracts from the movie going experience. Cell phones have a lot of really good advantages but people are just plain rude and use them all the time. I do not know how many times that I have almost been in an accident because some one was using their cell phone and were not paying attention to the road and other cars. We had four teenage girls get killed her a couple of years ago because the girl that was driving was paying attention to her phone while she was pulling onto the freeway and she pulled right into the path of a big rig. She wasted not just her life but three other girls. Just because she had to yap with someone else that was not in the car with her. When I had my business I had a mobile phone installed in my truck. Whenever I received a call I would ask the person to hold on while I tried to find a place to pull over and stop even though I had a hands free system. Another thing that is really annoying is the new ear phones that people are using, You see them talking away with no one near them and think they are crazy. The other day I was talking to some one and all of a sudden he started saying stuff that I had no idea what he was talking about. Then I realized that he had received a call and that he was talking to the person on the phone. I thought it was really rude that he just started talking to someone else without any indication to me. How Rude!

I agree with you, it gets very annoying when some damn cellphones ring.. But in our library if cellphones ring, librarians straightaway take those cellphones away from owners & charge them..

so far the only place i have gone where they really not allow you to turn on your cellphone even in silent or vibrate mode is in the court room, specially during proceedings. i was once apprehended by one of the clerks when he saw me using my mobile while i was sending text messages to someone. then he politely accompanied me outside the court room. i think you can also do that to those who seemingly disregard the rules of the library. somebody should be assigned just to monitor anyone who will be using the mobile and bring them outside the library so they can continue their unfinished business.

I don't go to the library that often. But I could see me forgetting. But I would grab it real fast and then I would go outside to talk on it.

WOW! This reminds me of a funny story. A few months ago I was at the library with my niece. This younger guy (I would say 16) All of a sudden picks up his cell phone and starts talking on it. My neice sitting in the seat next to me at the table threw a paper ball at him. When the guy turned around my neice gave him this stern tone "DO YOU MIND!?!" Granted my neice was 10 at the time. The kid put his cell phone away and looked at us and said "sorry" I just don't think people realize what they do sometimes or else they just don't care.

That is very annoying. I've found that not only do people speak on their cell phones in the library, Barnes & Noble is another place where they seem to love to chat. Personally, I think cell phones aren't as necessary as people make them out to be. I have my own business, I have two children and I need to be in contact with people constantly, but I don't think a restaurant, library, book store, movie theatre and other such places are the appropriate place to carry on cell phone conversations. That's just my opinion.

I know exactly what you are talking about. I've been using the computer lab for the past few weeks. People have very liud ringers and talk even louder. When I go in I put it on vibrate and if it's going to be a long phone call I leave the room. I also try to be as quiet as I can when talking on the phone. Also some people just let their kids run around and scream and cry. I had two people on either side of me one time. The one's baby was crying and she didn't get up to leave and just told it to be quiet. She was also holding a conversation with the guy on the other side of me very loudly. Both seemed very rude to me.

I don’t go to the library often- but by common courtesy- I would put my put my phone on vibrate before going in- Libraries are supposed to be quiet- If my phone rang I would take it outside- or not answer the call. I think that is totally rude! If I were the librarian I would ask them to leave-

I worked in a library in the mid-70's. We were told that the quiet in the library was a thing of the past. I agree tho, why do they have to include everybody in their side of the conversation? the least they could do is turn it on loudspeaker so we could hear BOTH sides! I guess I'd rather it be in the library than at a nice resturant. I grant I leave mine on, but the only people I answer are family & I'll get up & go outside if I need to actually talk for more than a moment.

I think these people might be feeling just too self-important. I always switch my phone to silent mode when I enter the library. And in fact, I don't like picking up calls too. Normally, I will just cut off the line and sms back that guy instead (if possible).

Hello,desertdaelene,when i am in the library,i will always switch off my cellphone,i think it is not good to use cellphones at the libaray as other people may need absolute silence to concentrate. I am not sure why people insist using their cellphones there,may be they really have some urgent calls which they cannot wait for longer time.I think they should use SMS instead of making phoen call in this case.

I think it's a bad habit to set the ringtongs on when you are in the library. Sometimes some people are just rude and don't care about others. In such kind of situation, they should turn off their ringtones and set the shaking mode for their cellphones. Sometimes I can figure out why they do so. They have to let others know they are "busy" people and therefore they receive lots of calls. And it's a good chance to show their "expensive" cellphones. It's shallow.

People are much more selfish then in the past. Now days everyone wants every thing their own way. They feel like everyone ows them something. They are the "feel good now" generation.

nothing can be done about this, by killing them the library will become quiet. but its also impossible to do kill.

Oh, I agree. Cell phone users can be really frustrating in public places. They disrupt the environment for others that are in the same place. Personally, I think it is rude. I refuse to get a cell phone. I don't WANT to be available all the time and everywhere I go. And I sure don't want to have my personal conversations in public. It is almost as bad as smokers who take no care about how they affect others. At least cell phone users don't leave litter all over like many smokers do. Sometimes I think cell phones should all be on vibrate all the time.

Before when I was in college my favourite hang out is the library. I think people should respect other peoples privacy there and should follow rules. They can at least turn the ringer off, then go out in a while to answer those "important calls that cant wait".

They are callous people who do not care for others. People are so self centered that they do not realize they are breaking the concentration of other readers. I usually put my mobile on silent mode and if I get a call I go outside before even saying hello.

Most of the time i think they simply forget. Cell phones can be annoying, but we have chosen to give up our peace of mind in order to have the convienence of a phone. Perhaps we will be able to telecommunicate without cell phones!

It just feels like people are becoming more and more ignorant and selfish. It is an unforunate trend, but polite just isn't a word in the dictionary any more. People do what they want, when they want, and don't stop to think of anyone else.