Appreciation post: The new quiet hour at the Portland library

I stopped by the main branch downtown last week and saw they have a dedicated sensory-friendly hour every Tuesday morning now, with dimmed lights and no overhead announcements. It made me think about how, maybe 10 years ago, that kind of accommodation just wasn't on anyone's radar in public spaces. Has your town added any spots like this recently?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor3051mo ago

Have you noticed these quiet hours also help people who are just plain tired? I saw a mom at our grocery store's new low-sensory shopping time, and she looked so relieved to not have the music blaring. It's not just for sensory needs, it's a break from all the noise we're expected to handle now. That library policy might be helping more people than they even planned for.

skylercooper1mo ago

The Portland library actually started their sensory hours back in 2019, so it's been a few years in the making. It's a great program, but I wanted to point out it wasn't a brand new thing this year. My local movie theater does a monthly showing with the lights up and sound lower, which feels like a similar idea. Do you find these options are getting more common where you are?