mobile phones in libraries question

The new MBA students are having their orientation week at MPOW. My question is: Do I come down hard on them whenever I see one using a mobile phone in the library, so that they get used to this policy from the beginning? Or do I follow my inclination to reinterpret this policy to be against disruptive noise in general and so excuse brief and quiet mobile phone conversations?

Comments

[Michelle McLean]

I'd say the noise factor should be the issue and that the mobile policy should be reviewed. Otherwise you are going to be fighting that trivial battle, rather than doing what's important.

[morgan]

Michelle, changing the policy so that it makes more sense is a very good idea. I wonder why I didn't think of that. It must be my bad experiences with policies which seem to have a life of their own, and can stubbornly transcend logic and reasonableness. I think some people in libraries might think that if something is embodied in a library policy, it must ipso facto be true. If there's a policy against mobile phone usage in the library, then mobile phones in the library must be a bad thing - and there's no reason why you'd want to change the policy to allow them. Of course, that's not what I think - but I'm just trying to understand their line of reasoning.

[Tom Goodfellow]

I agree with Michelle. An anti-phone policy will be unenforcable soon anyway with phone devices doubling up as an internet connection.

[adhd librarian]

the trouble is,
if you are nice to them, will everyone else be? Because if the rules say no mobiles then they'll get a surprise when someone does go all shushy librarian on their arse.

That said, I find the no mobiles thing to be a bit old fashioned. But then I'm in a public library which is full of screaming kids and horny teenagers running amuck.

I'd say that any blanket ban is stupid and has been mentioned multi function devices make a mockery of it anyway.