“It is literally neurobiologically impossible to think deeply about things that you don’t care about"
Dr Immordino-Yang
Dr Immordino-Yang
My first school library was a big old building in the middle of the school. Our teacher would line us up with our book bags and off we'd go. The Librarian would always read us a story as we sat cross legged on the floor and then we would be allowed to borrow a book or two! I was fascinated with the way she (it always seemed to be a woman) would stamp the card as it all looked very important! For some reason, the only books I seem to remember in the library back then were books by Dr Seuss such as "Cat in The Hat" and "Meg and Mog" by Helen Nicoll. The "Cat in The Hat" book really stressed me out because the mess that Cat created could surely not be cleaned up before their mum came home. And seriously, I thought that cat was a bit mean doing that to those children. I loved the "Meg and Mog" books because I really enjoyed the illustrations and the colours that were used. I loved to copy the illustrations and even now, if I see any "Meg and Mog" books, they make me smile. I talked to my partner about his favourite library memories, which were also positive. He fondly remembers a High School English teacher who taught them about "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. This particular teacher was also one of their school librarians and apparently her passion for books was quite visible and very contagious. According to the movie, The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians Through Film (2007) "They have more cardholders than VISA, more customers than Amazon, and more outlets than McDonald's." The movie features interviews with real librarians as well as snippets of librarians featured in movies. Not surprisingly, the reality of a "librarian's life" is far different than people's overgeneralised perceptions. "Stereotypes of librarians in popular culture are frequently negative: librarians are portrayed as puritanical, punitive, unattractive, and introverted if female, or timid and effeminate if male. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Librarians_in_popular_culture - accessed 15th October 2019) With any job, the people doing the jobs will be have different personalities and without a doubt, some people will be more dynamic than others. No matter what type of librarian we're talking about, whether it be a School Librarian, Community Librarian or University Librarian, I honestly believe that these people have the skills to improve the quality of people's lives, regardless of how they are portrayed. I lived and taught in a small country town for more than 20 years and there was a Community Library next to the school. It was also the school library so had an amazing collection. Many staff worked there and knew most of the people who lived in the area. This meant that the librarians knew the reading preferences and interests of little kids right through to the people living in the nursing home. If a new book arrived that they knew "Bob" would like, they'd put it aside and show him when he was in the library next. A self serve library...a sign of the times or a way to connect communities? References for this post in order of appearance: http://www.onwardthebook.com/the-connections-between-emotions-and-learning/(Dr. Immordino Yang: Quote - Accessed October 2019) Seuss, Dr. The Cat in the Hat. New York: Random House, 1957. Nicholl, Helen, Pieńkowski, Jan Michał Meg and Mog. UK: Puffin, 1972. Orwell, George. Animal Farm: A Fairy Story. Secker and Warburg: London, England, 1945 Seidl, Ann. The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians Through Film, 2007 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Librarians_in_popular_culture - (accessed 15th October 2019)
1 Comment
S Lynch
30/10/2019 10:38:20 am
What an interesting blog post! I have never paused to consider the stereotype of the librarian before now. I recognise there is a comfort within this stereotype, but I am now eager to see a different ‘kind’ of librarian. Although I think a key aspect which should not change is certainly the passion and love for literature. The changes should occur around the concepts of ‘literature’. Your blog is very engaging and your open reflective nature encourages that of your readers. As a teacher, I find the content engaging and applicable to my current school setting.
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