The quiet hour

A library introduced a designated quiet hour. A volunteer invited every departing visitor on two Tuesday afternoons to answer a short survey, one afternoon before the change and one after it. Participation was optional. The respondent counts were: Before: students 80, other visitors 20. After: students 30, other visitors 70. The proportion in each group rating the library “welcoming” was: Students: before 75%, after 80%. Other visitors: before 40%, after 50%. An editorial reported that the overall welcoming rating had fallen from 68% to 59%, calling the quiet hour a failure. The librarian replied that both groups' ratings had improved and called the policy a success. Neither knew how many people declined the survey or whether the same people visited on both days. No information was collected from people who stayed away. A researcher commented: “The disagreement is partly about which comparison deserves to stand for the library. Counting is indispensable here, but it cannot choose our question for us.”