Bay Area library sees more visitors as it adds play space, allows louder noise levels

By Itay Hod

The unmistakable “shhh” that’s echoed through libraries for generations is being phased out at a Bay Area library, and it is seeing positive results.

For 4-year-old Luna and her little brother Jude, the most exciting story at a Morgan Hill library isn’t bound in hardback. It’s at the bottom of a slide.

“Here, they can just be themselves. I don’t have to remind them to be quiet, and they actually love coming to the library because of that,” said Tiffani Negron, their nanny.

Negron added that this is the first library where her job isn’t whispering “inside voices.” Instead, she said, the only thing hushed here is her stress.

Once upon a time, silence was golden in libraries. Now, noise is part of the environment. And Morgan Hill isn’t alone. Libraries across the country are checking out the same idea: that community grows louder when you let people talk.

The books are still here, waiting quietly on the shelves. But the big draw is a new play space, filled with board games and card games, scavenger hunts, and even a mini observatory, complete with telescopes and stars.

Jennifer Weeks, county librarian for the Santa Clara County Library District, said libraries have always adapted, and this is just the latest chapter in trying to keep up with the times.

“You don’t learn how to be a good reader by being still,” she said.

A 2020 study by Temple University and Playful Learning Landscapes found that installing “Play-and-Learn” spaces in Philadelphia libraries boosted attendance at children’s programs by nearly 190 percent.

In Morgan Hill, the trend is catching on. In just the last four months, the library has seen a 20 percent jump in visitations. For Luna and Jude, it’s been a game changer. They’ve gone from reading about 10 books a week to nearly 30.

“We feel very welcome here. We’re here multiple times a week,” Negron said.