It’s disconcerting how often I get the brush off when seeking basic service or information from libraries. Some examples:
A few months ago, I phoned the ALA library in search of the photo used in Libraries – protect that brand. I described the photo clearly, shared that it was an American Libraries cover and that I had seen it recently in a brochure on the ALA’s first 100 years. Over the phone, I heard the keyboard click a few times and the librarian said she didn’t have it. I waited a moment, expecting that she would ask a question or suggest something else. When she didn’t, I nudged a bit by asking if the library maintained an archive of the magazine or ALA promotional materials. Nope. The librarian’s tone made it clear she could have cared less about my inquiry and wanted to get off the phone. So I did and searched the web until I found the material on my own.
Via phone, a reference librarian at a metropolitan public library outside Boston helped identify a journal article that seemed promising for my research. I’m a cardholder and asked if she could get the article for me. She politely declined and explained that she didn’t do the ILLs – that I’d have to call back and ask for the person who does them. I suggested it would be more convenient if she helped me since we had the info handy. The librarian said she didn’t know how they do it over there and told me I’d have to call the other department directly.
I’ve recently been matched with an 11 year-old girl through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts. Remarkably, my “little” has never used a library before, so I stopped into her town’s library one Saturday to inquire about how we could both get cards and perhaps get a quick intro to the facility & resources. There were two people side-by-side at the service desk just inside the front door. The place seemed empty and no one entered or left while I was there. My inquiry about obtaining a libary card was tortuous. Wanting to end the visit on a better note I asked what I thought was an easy question: “Can you tell me if there’s any better time to visit or what we might check out while we’re here?” “How old is she?” the staffer asked. “11. That’s young adult and the YA librarian isn’t working today. You’ll have to call back next week.” The other staffer said nothing throughout this encounter, which clearly wasn’t going well. He was busy inserting paper bookmarks into a stack of books.
How likely is it I’d have a similar experience @ your library?
Jeanne,
Reading that you were not successful in getting your question answered by staff of the ALA Library is disconcerting. But I wonder if you had staff from one of ALA’s other units on the phone, as you reference “that I had seen it [the image} recently in a brochure on the ALA’s first 100 years.” That would have been not ALA’s first 100 years (1876-1976), but rather the first 100 years of publishing American Libraries (1907-2007), where of course the covers from the decades would have been referenced! (We also think that you might have seen the June/July 2007 issue, which did feature images from the century, decade by decade.)
We have information on the national library symbol at http://www.ala.org/ala/professionalresources/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet30.cfm and details on the @ your library brand is at http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/publicawareness/campaign@yourlibrary/index.cfm.
Karen Muller
ALA Librarian and Knowledge Management Specialist
Hi Karen – I was speaking with someone in the library; I got the phone number from this page (http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/contactus/askthealalibrarian/index.cfm). Your kind reply was just the type of engagement I was hoping for when I phoned the ALA library. With a few questions we might have been able to identify the material I was after. Instead … well, you read the post. Thanks for checking in and hope to hear from you again. Jean
RP,
Just followed the link in your post to “Libraries–protect that brand” and saw several old images that were reprinted in the June/July 2007 issue of American Libraries magazine in celebration of the magazine’s centennial.
I was glad to read that you find the librarian stereotype as silly as the profession does. In fact that’s why American Libraries has over the years had a great deal of fun publishing stereotypical images in order to mock them, such as the bespectacled librarian suspended on a pole that was a tongue-in-cheek cover in 1970. There’s plenty more image-busters where that came from at http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org , along with articles and comments by dedicated library workers who aim to provide the level of library service you rightly expect to receive.
Beverly Goldberg
senior editor
American Libraries magazine
Hi Beverly – Thanks for the reply. You folks run some great stuff, like the article by Donald A. Barclay I recently covered.
It’s interesting that the profession has perceived the need for image-busting for 40 years or more. Is it possible these efforts may have had the unintended consequence of reifying the stereotypes?