Posted on 02 January 2025 by Chris Brown.
Shout it out loud. Medicine Hat Public Library has a WhisperRoom.
Beginning on Jan. 6, MHPL cardholders will be able to access a new modular meeting booth in the library. The sound isolation booth is specially designed to significantly reduce ambient and acoustic noise, and can meet a wide range of needs for our library patrons.
"Our library is a busy, active place. We like it that way but sometimes it can be hard to find the peace and quiet that some people want," says chief librarian Ken Feser. "Modular meeting rooms are a good solution to that problem, and the WhisperRoom is also a good acoustic space for audio recording and production.
David Sameshima contacted us in fall about making a donation, describing he and his family as big fans of the library.
"The library is one of our favourite places and I think a thriving library is an important part of any community," he says. "It’s something that we care about, and it was nice to be able to help support that."
When told we were looking into purchasing two meeting booths, one of which could be used for music practice, it was music to Sameshima’s ears.
“We love music and we have a few players in our family, so it sounded great to us,” he says.
Daughters Midge and Wren helped us unwrap the booth at Christmas, and Abby played cello inside it.
Feser calls the family's funding of the purchase amazingly generous.
"I am constantly humbled by donors who give so generously to the library. It’s a reminder that people love and support this institution."
Library cardholders can book the room now for use starting on Jan. 6.
A second modular meeting room has been ordered and is expected to arrive in the coming weeks. This bigger booth will seat four people and is designed more for meetings than audio production.
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Midge, Wren and Abby just before the WhisperRoom was unwrapped.