Can we talk about a bad tip I got about finding local freelancers?

A friend told me last year that the best way to meet other freelancers was just to hang out at the public library downtown... he said it was quiet and full of people working. So I tried it for a few weeks. Honestly, it was a total miss. Everyone had headphones in and avoided eye contact. I felt weird trying to start a chat when the whole point of the place is to be quiet. I spent about 20 hours there over a month and made zero connections. It just made me feel more isolated. Has anyone actually had luck meeting people in a library, or is a proper coworking spot or a scheduled meetup really the only way to go?

4 comments

4 Comments

jennybailey22d ago

That's such weird advice. Libraries are for being quiet, not networking. You need a place where talking is the whole point, like a coffee shop with a community board or an actual networking event.

alexpalmer23d ago

Got to disagree with your friend's idea of a quiet library being the spot. The vibe is all wrong for talking. I've met a few people at my library, but only because they run specific events like a weekly writer's group or a tech talk. You have to look for those posted signs or check their event calendar online. The people just working at tables are almost never there to socialize.

craig.piper2d ago

Totally feel that, what a strange tip. Tried the same thing at my local branch last fall, convinced it would be a goldmine. Nope. Just rows of people in their own little bubbles, some student glaring at me when my chair squeaked. Felt like I was breaking some unspoken rule just by existing too loudly. Ended up just reading random magazines for an hour to make the trip feel less pointless. Proper meetups or a busy cafe are the only places that ever worked for me.

kai83923d ago

Yeah, that advice was a total bust for me too! I tried the same thing and just ended up staring at my laptop feeling awkward.