In many cultures, and certainly in Western, US culture, libraries hold a place in every person's psyche, carrying leftover connotations from childhood as buildings where the utmost respect must be paid. There is a nearly religious reverence to the rituals and tenets of the library. Libraries are a place of quiet, respectful whispers, where anything audible is heard by all nearby, where loud noises are especially jarring, and where even adults might feel unsure or anxious. In fact, since many people visit libraries only during school, they could go years between visits. When an adult patron walks into a library to use the internet or research a problem after such a big gap, anxiety is a natural reaction. They may well be feeling a bit like they are in 3rd grade again: awkward, clueless, and lost. Of course, patrons can always ask questions; however, researchers in behavioral science have reported that people often give up and walk away rather than allow themselves to feel or look stupid. Library patrons may (and probably will) assume that the question that they have has an obvious answer, and rather than risk embarrassment, they will take a pass on creeping up to the check-out counter to whisper their potentially silly question into the silence. It's hard to tell how many times that this has happened in any particular place, but there are studies where the use of improper signage or lack of signage has borne out these findings. In a sense, proper signage is proper etiquette. Etiquette tells people how to behave in social situations so that they do not need to guess and can carry on without fear of offending anyone, or of looking foolish. Placing properly designed signs in the best areas accomplishes this wonderfully well. Besides allaying fears of embarrassment, proper library signage boosts positive feelings about the library. People feel cared about and supported when there are thoughtfully designed signs right where they would expect to see them. Furthermore, placing consistent, well-designed signs will help the library run more smoothly because having appropriate cues for patrons reduces disruption. Good signs encourage patrons to explore without worry, and cut way down on common, repeated questions about the bathroom or how to check out books, or where to line up, or where the ADA-compliant meeting rooms are, and probably dozens of other questions that, otherwise, will be up to library staff to answer over and over again. Finally, proper signs are crucial to the smooth operation of all public libraries. If a library follows sound design practices such as consistent design, font, and color combined with thoughtful placement, then users will grow in confidence and the community will trust and use the library more often.