Libraries Are 31337

tiltowait writes In response to the incredulity expressed in this story about the technical prowess of libraries, I'd like to present a short essay titled "Librarians: We're Not What You Think" - read on for more. Update: 10/20 18:15 GMT by M : The author has also put up his essay on his own webpage. From the spinster librarian in It's a Wonderful Life to the crochety archivist in Attack of the Clones, librarians are often portrayed (in everything from movies, musicals, children's books, literature, science fiction, comics and cartoons to pornography - yes, pornography) as something less than noble or admirable. The perception of librarians has been a popular topic recently, with several articles focusing on the fringe-type librarians (ska, rockabilly, bellydancing, modified, bodybuilding, laughing, and lipstick). Although something of an anti-stereotype, these people illustrate the range of librarian personalities.

Many people may hold the image of a librarian as a shushing school marm who does little more than stamp and shelve books because that's all they've seen librarians do. Well think again - that's about as inaccurate as believing that Alan Greenspan is nothing more than a glorified bank teller. The job titles may change but the mission of the profession remains the same: organize information and help people find it. Libraries have been around a lot longer than the Internet, and even library technology can hold its own with the best out there. For example, Google's savvy results ranking was hardly the birth of citation analysis (next up: metadata - cough, cataloging, cough), and there are enormous library systems that also predate the Internet.

Although library geeks and technology nerds may have contrary images, in today's world the boundary between the career of the librarian and the information technologist is disappearing. Librarians today not only administer Web servers and dynamic databases to help manage large digital collections and thousands of electronic resources, they teach people how to use library systems. And just as enlightened computer engineers are advocates of noncommercial software and campaign for online rights, the library profession has a long history of staunchly defending freedom - from book burnings to the FBI's Library Awareness Program to the latest copyright battles and almost all other current issues in intellectual freedom.

Check out LISNews.com (recognize the format?) and some library blogs if you're interested in reading more about real librarians.

Comments

Too long

[I'm not a script]

Can someone summarize this in one sentence, I'm not going to read all that.

Re:Too long

[Anonymous Coward]

Can someone summarize this in one sentence, I'm not going to read all that.

A librarian who is upset by all the "librarians are losers" stereotypes wishes for us to read a brief article which, contrary to the nerdy librarian's expectations, does nothing to dispel said stereotypes.

librarian image?

[EvilStein]

"Many people may hold the image of a librarian as a shushing school marm who does little more than stamp and shelve books because that's all they've seen librarians do"

I'm obviously not many people, because whenever I think of a librarian, I keep seeing Britney Spears in various stages of undress while surrounded by books...and wearing glasses. You know, *those* glasses.. the ones that say "I'm the HEAD librarian."

Yeah, those...

l33t? no.

[Anonymous Coward]

Coming from a guy that works in a library, Librarians are abuot as l337 as the people that feel is cool to type in l337.

libraries are most certainly 31337...

[bani]

... script kiddies love using them to launch attacks from ...

Librarians are criminals

[The Original Yama]

Librarians use photocopiers, and help others to do likewise. Photocopiers can copy whole books, which is in breach of copyright laws.

Stop the pirate rings! Gaol all librarians!

Not like the libraries I know back home

[tuxedo-steve]

from the internet-is-just-a-giant-library dept.

I don't know what kind of libraries you tend to frequent, Roblimo, but it seems to me that no library I've even been to is 90% porn. The place you live in must seriously r0xx0r!

Re:Not like the libraries I know back home

[Roblimo]

Or maybe you and I frequent different Internets? :)

- Robin

Anyone ever seen Unseen University?

[El Jynx]

That bloody orang-utan is just about the 133735t librarian that exists. Masters of knowledge they are, yesss preciousss! Jynx

I can't help but...

[BitwizeGHC]

be reminded of this image. Wouldn't want to mess with her cataloguing skillz.

Has anyone read the fine print???

[twoslice]

These primary historical documents reflect the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs of different times. The Library of Congress does not endorse the views expressed in these collections, which may contain materials offensive to some readers.

I think they cut and pasted this from a PrOn site!

(Score:6, unfuckingbelievable)

you can tell this story was written by a librarian

[affenmann]

...by the number of references (a.k.a links) in the text.

1337 librarians?

[BluBrick]

As soon as I saw "Libraries are 31337", I was immediately reminded of The Crimson Permanent Assurance.

Librarians?

[RickHunter]

"Many people may hold the image of a librarian as a shushing school marm who does little more than stamp and shelve books because that's all they've seen librarians do"

Seriously, who have they been talking to? Any geek worth his (or her) salt should, upon hearing the word "Librarian" immediately think "simian". (Not, note, monkey. That would be a very painful thought) Why this has not caught on among the general populace is a mystery. Perhaps they have simply not ventured deeply enough into the more obscure sections of their "local" library...

Re:ALA

[tswinzig]

A good thing about the American Library Assocition, there are against DMCA and other potential laws that reduce fair use. That is a good thing for open source.

Exactly! Praise ALA!

Question: What is 31337???

[terraformer]

I know, I am a newbie! But what is 31337? It is not a valid zip and not in /etc/services so I am stumped.