SIR, — I read with interest the various letters concerning the problems of noise, eating and drinking etc in the Maltings library in St Albans. In the main I agree with the points made by Norman Hart and am proud to be another Victor Meldrew. I feel that

SIR, - I read with interest the various letters concerning the problems of noise, eating and drinking etc in the Maltings library in St Albans. In the main I agree with the points made by Norman Hart and am proud to be another Victor Meldrew.

I feel that discussion of whether or not it was a good idea to make the library "open plan" is missing the main point which is that a library is or should be a place of refuge from the noise of the outside world so that users of the facility can read and study in peace.

To come up with suggestions such as to provide partitions so that areas can be created where users of the facilities can eat and be noisy is doing what we, as a society, keep on doing - we continually give in to minority requirements to the disadvantage of the majority. We must learn to say no to those who wish to misuse such places as libraries. If we always give in then the rabble will take over and life outside one's own home will become intolerable.

It is illegal and dangerous to drive a car while texting or dialling or speaking on a mobile phone and yet we see dozens of offenders, ladies in 4x4s laden with tiny children, van drivers, taxi drivers, even bus drivers ignoring the law daily. There is never a policeman around to "nick" them!

Schoolchildren leave their schools at lunch-time, buy snacks, eat in the streets and leave trails of litter, chip wrappers, bags, cans, bottles etc in their wake and no-one says a word to them because we are scared of the gang culture which the little darlings portray.

So please, please let us have one area where good, old-fashioned rules of respect for one another's privacy are enforced and keep our libraries as they were intended. Encourage the young to use libraries as places of quiet study, not as cafés or doss-houses.

MIKE McINNERNY,

Wynches Farm Drive, St Albans.