I found the remark about Mary Kay makeovers somewhat out of line. Who
doesn't love a makeover? <SMILE> Seriously, if the librarian image that
prevails in our society is one of a frumpy woman wearing sensible shoes,
and hair in a bun who goes around saying, "Shh!" then we might ask
ourselves how that image came to be? Only we can change our image and
reinvent ourselves personally as well as professionally. The question
was asked, "So how DO we go about changing our image?" Personally, that
is up to each individual person. Manner of dress and hairstyle is a
personal as well as a professional choice. Ask yourself, "Am I
comfortable with how I dress? Do I look like a professional who knows
her stuff or do I look like some ancient creature who wouldn't know a
good book from a dark hole?" "Do I have a pleasant expression on my
face and seem approachable to students or do I have an, 'I'm busy.
Don't bother me.' look?"
To change our collective image from the stereotype involves not only
knowing how to teach but how to reach. To reach our students we must
stay on top of the latest research skills as well as the latest fads.
We need to know who's who in American history as well as who's who in
pop culture. Librarians need to know who the hot characters are in
children's literature as well as the hot stars in movies. I just
returned from a professional librarians' delegation to Russia and one of
the places we visited was the University of Art and Culture in St.
Petersburg. Librarians who train there go through an intensive six-year
program of not only library, technology, and information skills classes
but literature, drama, art, music, and dance. In Russia, librarians are
the repository of all art and cultural knowledge. They are respected
and admired and particularly in smaller towns, are viewed as the
fountain of all wisdom.
As librarians of the new century we must reshape our images as we rework
our job descriptions. In my humble opinion, the old stereotype has no
place in our world and until we work diligently to change that, it is
going to remain with us. As we redefine the job, we will redefine
ourselves and bury those stereotypes for good.
Just my $1.00 worth!
Lynn Butler, LMS
Lamar Elementary Library
San Angelo, Texas
"Reading is a Window to the World!"
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