A Picture Of Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl, and her MiniMe, along with The AP Article on a “frumpy-looking librarian” who moves her index finger to her lips with “amazing push-button shushing action!” is prompting librarians around the world to raise their voices in protest.
Gary Price has some Thoughts as well.
“The shushing thing just put me right over the edge,” said Diane DuBois, library director of Caribou Public Library in Caribou, Maine. “We’re so not like that anymore. It’s so stereotypical I could scream.”
well…
I am curious – is anyone else out there totally offended by our action figure? I mean, it’s supposed to be sort of a joke, right? It is stereotypcial – all I have to do is look around at my co-workers to realize that – but it’s just a goof. No worse than the librarians in movies and whatnot.
Maybe a lack of a sense of humor is part of the stereotype as well??
Re:well…
It kind of makes me roll my eyes, shrug, and forget it. Yes, it’s silly and stereotypical, but it’s just not worth getting upset about to me. It’s mildly funny. What’s much funnier to me is how much more attention the figure’s getting because of protests than it otherwise would have. Hey, I like my humor ironic.
Re:well…
I have a sense of humor, and as I’ve said before, I get what kind of a joke this is supposed to be, although Jessamyn probably articulated that better than I was able to. However, what was a mild irritation has grown into something much larger thanks to all of the people who keep telling me to “lighten up” and that it’s “only a joke” and all that crap. Why can’t I express an opinion of something I dislike without getting jumped on?
Mighty Librarywoman
I can’t wait to get my action figure, and I’ve dropped enough hints that I’ll probably get some as gifts. I only wish she had interchangeable clothes like Barbie, so I could give her a black leather jacket. But it looks like there’s room for a nose ring & a little tattoo on her ankle. Will that make everyone feel better?
Re:Mighty Librarywoman
I feel better already!