[Publib] The Death of Reference / Librarian Stereotyping

[Sue Komernicky]

Joe, I had to smile as I read this--we really did have a great print collection, but, alas, times have changed and we are now in the process of vigorously weeding reference materials, opting to purchase online reference materials; thus, freeing up space for displays!!! Yes, BOOK displays--you know those things that you can take will you wherever you go, convenient, requires no batteries, etc. etc. Never fear though, we also have downloadable digital books as well, which when downloaded to MP3 players are convenient, but, darn it,--my batteries on the MP3 are dead!!!!!!! 

Joe Schallan <jbsphx at cox.net> wrote:
  Bruce Brigell writes that reference work is still flourishing at his library, and I am glad to hear of it, though I can't help but wonder if his situation is anomalous. I'd like to hear from the list on this.

I started my public-library reference career at the Glendale, Arizona, Public Library, and we had an extraordinarily busy reference desk. It was not uncommon to have queues of patrons waiting for our attention. My colleagues Sue Komernicky, Cathy Johnson, and Anne Owens had built up a large and well thought out print reference collection. We spent long shifts of intense activity, almost all of it involving demands on our intelligence, memory, and ability to think outside the normal path to a resource. It was taxing at times but was fun . . . in fact, in retrospect I'll say it was glorious.

It was still that way when I left Glendale in October 1999 to come to my current employer, another large suburban library system. I found it curious that the demand for reference help was less at my new place, even though it serves a population that, according to the stats, is more educated and has a higher average income. The lighter load at my libary has gotten even lighter -- my gut says that "real" reference work, as opposed to the care and feeding of computers and their users, now occupies perhaps 10 percent of my time. Google has not only killed most of my work, but the introduction of computers has clericalized it. (And yet I am paid as a reference librarian -- should I be happy that library managers around the country do not yet seem to have figured this out?)

And yet, that 10 percent of my time is critical to those who need me to wear my reference-librarian hat.

It seems to me that public library managers could redeploy librarians to more fully utilize their knowledge, skills, and abilities -- and make them a happier lot along with it -- and delegate the functions that have been clericalized to . . . well, clerical staff. This could mean a shift in libraries away from professional staff toward para- or nonprofessional staff, but we should in any case staff our libraries according to what the tasks at hand mandate. Anything else is featherbedding.

Comments? Has reference work sharply declined at your place? What should we do with now underutilized reference librarians? Can such a sharp line be drawn between "reference" and "clerical"? Even if it can, are their persuasive reasons for ignoring it?

- - - - - - - - -

Miriam Bobkoff commented on the Lionsgate Entertainment feature currently being filmed at the Santa Fe Public Library, and how they have a character named Mabel who represents the librarian stereotype at her most extreme.

Another Publibber took Garrison Keillor to task for doing the same on PHC.

Complaints to Lionsgate will fall on deaf and bemused ears, I suspect. Indeed, an uproar from us would probably only confirm their view of us as their stereotype. (Being grumpy, you know. ) If, on the other hand, we used extremely foul language and told them in precise anatomical detail exactly where they can stuff their portrayal of us, it would at least break that stereotype. Not that I am recommending that you cuss them up oneside and down the other, but this is America, and we are all free agents.

Lionsgate has a branch in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, but Reference USA shows the headquarters in Santa Monica:

Jon Feltheimer, CEO
Steven Beeks, President and COO
Lionsgate Entertainment
2700 Colorado Avenue, Suite 200
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(310) 449-9200
(310) 255-3940 fax

Lionsgate tells us that we may direct our concerns to an email box:

general-inquiries at lgecorp.com

Give 'em hell.

I suspose we could make nice with Garrison Keillor, who as a writer, book person, and liberal may be inclined to listen to us, or at least SAY he is listening. OTOH, privately he'll probably say "Jesus! What a bunch of hypersensitive, moralizing b-----s!" So I'd recommend (no I wouldn't; we're all free agents, etc. etc.) extremely foul language for him too. Since his audience is largely Extremely NIce, Bookish, Pinot-Noir-Sipping, Polite Liberal Folks, he probably doesn't get foul language and a thoroughgoing verbal reaming out very often, and may actually enjoy it.
Especially from 500 librarians.

You may go to the website

http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/

and scroll down, where you'll find an option to send a post to Mr. Keillor (or his factotum).

Go get him.



Joe Schallan
Phoenix

PS. Since the overlap between Publib and Garrison Keillor's audience of bookreading pinot-noir-sipping nice folks is probably very close to 100 percent, it occurs to me that many of you don't know any foul language. I, on the other hand, though a librarian, emanate from Iowa farm and blue-collar people, and, believe me, I know PLENTY. And just the right kind of stuff for Keillor, too. (Bet you didn't know there were pejorative terms for people of Danish descent.)
I have assembled a Do-It-Yourself Cussing Kit. Contact me for more information. (I can't ship it through normal channels. I can't make it available for download, either, because your filters will block it.)




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