Why waste your time trying to be a “21st Century Librarian” when you’re just going to retire in a few years? You’re perfect just the way you are! Stick with the same ol’ thing you’ve been doing since you started working 27 years ago (and hey, don’t be afraid to remind everyone of just how long it’s been!). To raise the awareness of those around you, here’s a list of traits for the 20th Century Librarian.
- Fear and loathe change
- Leave technology to others
- Librarian-centered focus
- Be completely ignorant of any/all trends beyond 1975
- Use only phones and email for communication (avoid email as much as possible)
- Be a leach / be a distracter
- Ignore others and burden them with your personal problems
- Judge interest
- Never ask for outside opinions
- Never leave your comfort zone
- Build barriers
- Show outright hostility toward most users
- Discuss your impending retirement regularly
- Form a clique
- Create bitterness from the bottom up
- Use CEO to divide others against each other
- Never come to work early or leave a minute late
- Show arrogant disdain for all new employees
- Show arrogant disdain towards anyone born after 1966
- Hoard your knowledge
- Schedule meeting / form committees & subcommittees as often as possible
- Show contempt for things you only partly understand
Disclaimer: This list may or may not be based on anyone I have worked with in the past or may be working with currently.
75% correct for all librarians of any century
You’ve nailed it. However, anyone who announces a retirement any closer than 2 months to the date (or the required 30 days), will disappear from view and get tired of the questions, sort of like when pregnant. “Oh, are you still here?” “When’s the big day?” “We need to list your position, give us a date.” “We’re having a meeting, but I guess you won’t need to come,” and so forth.
In defense of all those 20th century librarians, may I remind you of all the advances that were going to change the world of information as we know it? Microfilm, microfiche, LC copy, MARC, CIP, computerized catalogs, dedicated terminals, PCs, cd-rom, juke-box cd-rom, faculty status, closing the card catalog and acme files, continuing education requirements, turn-key systems, “free” internet, cooperative this ‘n that, consortia out the wazoo, OCLC, barcodes, learning power point, compulsory BI for all, outsourcing cataloging, automated serial check-in, moving all the librarians’ jobs to clerks, splashy web pages, learning html, etc. and let’s not forget the multiple generations of printers, photocopiers and security systems.
I thought I was bitter
I’ve identified all of those, but fortunately not in any single person.