Oconto Falls Community Library purchases phone booth meeting space with grant

The Oconto Falls Community Library purchased a ROOM Phone Booth meeting space with a recent Library Improvement and Innovation Grant from the Nicolet Federated Library System.

The library recognized that while the library's modern open floor plan is great for programming, it didn't always accommodate the traditional need for a quiet area for some of its library patrons. With so many still working from home (and some now permanently), libraries have seen an increase in residents needing quiet space to take part in virtual meetings.

The library's new booth is sound-proof, meeting the needs of patrons needing quiet or privacy. It has multiple plug-in spots for a variety of devices and comes with a holder for iPad-style devices. The booth is fully lit and has two ventilation fans for comfort of the user. And since it isn't a built-in addition, it can be moved as library space changes over the years.

In a meeting with a representative from Wisconsin Health Literacy, Amy Petersen, the library's prior director, learned that many people are doing tele-health visits for physical and mental conditions from cars because they do not have high enough internet speed at home. "This is not always a financial issue. In our rural areas, sometimes high enough speeds are simply not available because the infrastructure is not there. Since these booths are sound-proof and in a community space, I think people will use the booths for these types of visits."

Patrons are encouraged to see a library staff member to reserve the library meeting booth for their next virtual meting!