Librarian Stereotypes - So What?
So this popped up on a couple of discussion lists this week.
A Hipper Crowd of Shushers
By KARA JESELLA
Published: July 8, 2007
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/fashion/08librarian.html
And then I ran across this from Jet City Orange.
http://www.tk421.net/essays/nwyt.pdf
Now, is it just me or does anyone else have no problems with librarian stereotypes? Don't all occupations come with some sort of stereotype or another? And if the stereotypes of library professionals are changed, doesn't another one just replace it? To me, this is really a non-issue. As long as I can get people to keep coming into the library and helping them while they are there, I don't really care if they think I'm a bun-haired shusher or a hip chick. The best thing about these articles is that people are talking about libraries and their benefits to individuals and the community. If that message has to be cloaked in an article about what color hair, styles of dress, or music tastes new librarians are all about, so be it. But what is it that makes what we like to do outside of the library so fascinating?
So this popped up on a couple of discussion lists this week.
A Hipper Crowd of Shushers
By KARA JESELLA
Published: July 8, 2007
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/fashion/08librarian.html
And then I ran across this from Jet City Orange.
http://www.tk421.net/essays/nwyt.pdf
Now, is it just me or does anyone else have no problems with librarian stereotypes? Don't all occupations come with some sort of stereotype or another? And if the stereotypes of library professionals are changed, doesn't another one just replace it? To me, this is really a non-issue. As long as I can get people to keep coming into the library and helping them while they are there, I don't really care if they think I'm a bun-haired shusher or a hip chick. The best thing about these articles is that people are talking about libraries and their benefits to individuals and the community. If that message has to be cloaked in an article about what color hair, styles of dress, or music tastes new librarians are all about, so be it. But what is it that makes what we like to do outside of the library so fascinating?
posted by Carlie at
1:12 PM
5 Comments:
I agree. When I entered the program last year, I was amused to discover how sensitive librarians seem to be about this issue.
By
Poohba, At
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Someone else's take:
Annoyed Librarian's Take the "Hip" Librarians, Please
By
Carlie, At
Sunday, July 08, 2007
I don't care about stereotypes but... the article really seemed condescending to me. And "guybrarians" ??? Come on now.
By
Anonymous, At
Monday, July 09, 2007
As a "creative type" I found the Annoyed Librarian's take quite offensive and ignorant. He/She implies that artist/librarians are less passionate (and therefore less knowledgable) about librarianship because they have interests outside of library land. I for one would much rather work with people who have a sense of humor about their profession and label their drinks with dewey decimal numbers than this stick int the mud!
All the NYT article was saying is, "hey, some librarians don't suck as much you might think; you might actually want to hang out with them in a social context!" I'm not going to complain about that. The fact that a journalist finds this newsworthy says that the profession might have an image problem.
Maybe I am more sensitive to the librarian image because I'm a male in a female dominated profession. However, I recently ran into a friend of mine from high school that I hadn't seen since I was in art school. When I told him I just finished my MLIS, he says, "So, you're going to be a librarian??" It's the same reaction I would of expected had told him I decided to be a nun. I don't think we can afford to be seen as out of touch as much of the public thinks we are.
By
BrianG, At
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
This comment has been removed by the author.
By
Eva G., At
Thursday, July 12, 2007
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