Got kicked out of a library for taking a work call, now I'm trying coffee shops

I was at the downtown library in Portland last Tuesday, just typing away with my noise-canceling headphones on. My client called me, so I stepped into the hallway (not even the quiet zone, you know?) and whispered for maybe 2 minutes. The librarian tapped me on the shoulder and told me I had to leave or they'd call security. It was super awkward, I packed up and left with like 20 people staring. Has anyone else had better luck finding a quiet corner at a local coffee shop for taking the occasional call?

2 comments

2 Comments

sandra_moore308h ago

Oh, that "tapped me on the shoulder" part just gave me flashbacks. Same thing happened to me at a library in Seattle last year, except I was in a study room with the door closed. I answered a quick call from my doctor's office, kept my voice down, and still got a knock on the door from a librarian telling me I had to leave. I was so embarrassed I just grabbed my bag and walked out without making eye contact with anyone. I've switched to coffee shops too, but honestly it's a mixed bag. Some places have people on laptops everywhere, and a quiet call is no big deal, but other shops are super small and you can feel everyone listening in.

shanes668h ago

@sandra_moore30 that's basically the same scene just a different city, it's wild how libraries have gotten so strict about noise even in non-quiet zones. It feels like the old unspoken rules about shared spaces (a quick whispered call was fine, you know?) have been replaced with zero-tolerance policies everywhere, not just libraries. I think the whole thing runs deeper though, like society is just getting less patient with any kind of human interaction in public these days, and coffee shops are the new battleground for this same argument.