Library Issues About Public Image/ Gender

Stereotyping is not actually a bad thing. However, the consequences of stereotyping be the ones that be important and matter (Marinelli and Baker, 2000). The people may ignore the foundation of these sort outs however the effects of these on the people be very crucial. Image, on the opposite hand, is an issue and problem eachwhere but the social bit is differs from one place to another.The image of librarians was universe molded as primaeval as the 1870s. Married women and men already had jobs and positions in the family. However, the single, unmarried women were left-hand(a) out and had no position in the society. These women engaged in tradings more(prenominal) as librarianship, nursing, social work and elementary school teaching which were not restricted to any gender and to civil status. bibliothecs work consisted of uplifting the ethical motive of a middle-class home through books and to rescue people woefulness from moral and intellectual poverty. (Garrison as cited by Engle, 1998)Reed (1995), on the other hand, verbalise that librarianship was initially a job for men and was only feminized in the late nineteenth century. til now if the women were able to enter the craft, the men were retained but were able to advance to higher positions, administrative ones. Also, men comprised and predominate the Ameri chiffonier Library Association in 1876. The women were attracted to the profession because of the limited booking possibilities. The feminization of the profession came about as women were believed to be able to change shape the atmosphere in the library. Specifically, women ar believed to s practically the environment of stacks of books. squirt (n.d.) conducted a survey that led to the stereotyping of the librarian as a woman, commonly having old age, fair skin and single and there were no specifics on copper color. Marinelli and Baker (2000) and Goldstein (1977 as cited by Reed, 1995 Kneale, 2004), on the other hand, typec asted librarians to ladies with hair arranged in a bun, wearing chained glasses, with a consistency covered up with a dress, hushing when noise is being heard and with a worried expression. Men librarians, alternatively, are being questioned with regards to their masculinity. They are usually characterized to be ineffectual, effeminate and unathletic (Reed, 1995).Surprisingly, in verdures study if the all aforesaid(prenominal) characteristics would be expected to be present in a mortal to be able to define a librarian, there would be no librarians at all. The characteristics may be present at one person at a time, but not all. Thus, stereotyping is not true in the study.In the same manner, only the spectacles hold as a true characteristic of a librarian in Marinelli and Bakers (2000) study. The impolite attitude of the librarian only holds true for some cases. And, the stimulus generalization of the unfriendly manner of the librarians may be attributed to the silent atmosphere of the library.It can therefore be said that the characterization of stereotypes does not come from the characteristics of rattling-time librarians. Marinelli and Baker (2000) justified stereotyping has a function in the society. The aged women, spectacles and being single are features that people do not wish to emulate, but can somewhat be a well-off reprsentation of the unattractive, small and rejected. In addition, the dominance of the women in the profession as well contributed to the negative overtone in the stereotype (Carmichael, 1992 as cited by Marinelli and Baker, 2000). Similarly, other professions that are rule by women are also being criticized.The characteristics of the librarian as said on the previous paragraph can be credited to the common librarians. They are the image keepers of the profession as they are the ones that people oft see and musical note at (Marinelli and Baker, 2000). Also, the state-supported are not often aware of special librarians o r archivists. These people are also librarians but cater a specialized clientele. Although the public librarians constitute only a small portion of the total librarians, the stereotype has been used in some(prenominal) types of media, including films, that it became persistent characteristics.The forms of literature are one of the possible causes of stereotyping of librarians. Most literature often associated librarianship to lonesome characters in both men and women (Marinelli and Baker, 2000). Only a few have explored the possibilities of other characteristics of librarians, one of which is sexy librarians, a wise written by Edith Wharton in 1918.Films, on the other hand, characterize librarians other than (Raisch, 1993 as cited by Marinelli and Baker, 2000). Films portrayal of librarians vary from spinsters (Donna Reed in Its A Wonderful Life, Hilda Plowright in Philadelphia Story or the librarian in Breakfast at Tiffanys), repressed ladies (Barbara Stanwyck in Forbidden), si gnify archivists (Bertha in Citizen Kaine) to innocent blondes (Carole Lombard in No Man of Her Own or Goldie Hawn in Foul Play).And some also feature anthropoid librarians (John Rothman in Sophies Choice, Jason Robards in Something Wicked This Way Comes and Peter Sellers in Only Two Can Play). However, the actors and actresses that play librarians are often attractive people (Katherine Hepburn, Parker Posey, Peter Sellers) that their portrayal is not seen to reflect the echt thing.The specialized training of librarians that is not publicly known may be a factor that affects the public perceptual experience on librarianship. Their tasks such as referencing, checking and shelving are seen simply as clerical tasks. Nevertheless, there is a know in Library and randomness Science that is a sort of necessary in the field of professional librarianship. Those without the degree may not be able to advance to the professional level but still be a librarian.Sadly, librarians are much af fected by the negative typecasting of their profession. agony and denial are the two main reactions of librarians regarding the negative stereotyping in their profession (Engle, 1998). Librarians had to be weighed down by the emotional stress of the typecasting. These in turn cause social pressures on the librarians and cause further dismal attitude.Real-life librarians, actually, do not like the stereotyping of their profession because they personally do not deprivation to be attributed to something unattractive and restrict the entrance of males in the profession (Morrisey and Case, 1988 Carmichael, 1992 as cited by Marinelli and Baker, 2000). Also, Wilson (1982 as cited by Marinelli and Baker, 2000) said that stereotyping might have caused real librarians to not like librarians, including themselves. This is because the librarians react to their occupational identity, kind of of reacting as an individual. ascribable to the typecasting, the librarians are being forced to act a s a minority group.The negative stereotyping also causes librarians to think poorly of their profession, especially those on the public libraries and schools (Marinelli and Baker, 2000). The pride of the profession is being lost in the issues. Librarians nowadays are not immediately associated to being professionals. They are just people who look after publications in a room or building.Also, these cause downbeat on client perceptions, status and organizations. The clientele of the librarians may decrease because of the negativity on the profession. Both the status of the people and the organizations that are currently in the profession is also being prejudiced without proper exploration.Furthermore, funding and recruitment for vernal librarians are being affected. Due to the issues on librarians, people who are kindle in entering the profession may reconsider. Only those who work as special librarians in private institutions are properly paid. Some also feel that they are being less valued by the society as compared in 1988 (Bobrovitz and Griebel, 2001).Conversely, there are still librarians that are snug with their profession (Bobrovitz and Griebel, 2001). They believe that they are valuable to their employer, with respect to their skills, but are still being subjected to issues causing them to think that they are underappreciated by the society. in spite of the negative typecast on the profession, their morals are still up but seek the improvement and image of the career, to change some mis randomness for every librarians sake.Yet, the negative connotation on the stereotype characteristics of the librarian can also be beneficial. Lately, the issues caused them to make an fret in change the quality of their work. done some changes, they believe the publics perception of the librarians will change and will enable the creation of another stereotype for the profession (Paul and Evans 1988 as cited by Marinelli and Baker, 2000 Bobrovitz and Griebel, 2007 ).However, the librarians must collectively make this effort in order to overhaul the typecast set on the profession. Even the slightest mistake of only one librarian is very crucial because instead of putting up a good image, things may go for the worse. This make the stereotyping more than an individual behavior.There had been actions to lessen the negative publicity regarding the librarians. McCormack, since the 1987, had been advocating aver for negative ads of librarians (Marinelli and Baker, 2000). Through the American Libraries column, Image How Theyre Seeing Us, pictures have been revealing both the negative and positive images on librarianship. Through the revelation of some of the extreme negative publicity, there had been realizations of too much prejudice in the society with regards to librarianship. Somehow, the images that show the goose-stepping and hushing librarians have decreased in number.Chances of redeeming the status of the librarian profession is very likely because of scientific advancements, faculty status for librarians, unionization and contracting (Marinelli and Baker, 2000). Due to technological advancements, librarians are now taking up positions such as technology managers and information specialists. Although machines also pose as a threat to librarian employment, computers are essential in making information more available and convenient to clients. After all, librarians can employ themselves as consultants and trainers.Also, there have been changes in the perception towards librarians as 10 years before. The business of librarianship is also being appreciated more. However, the term librarianship holds some kind of stigma that corporations appreciate the profession more without mentioning the word librarian. (Kneal, 2006)ReferencesBobrovitz, J. and Griebel, R. (2001). If the (Sensible) Shoe Fits The Image of the Librarian. Retrieved October 30, 2007Engle, M. (1998). Ethymologizing Work The Role of archetypal Images in the H umanization of Librarianship. Retrieved October 30, 2007, from http//www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/staff/moe/archetype.htmlGreen, Paul (n.d.) Paul Greens Librarian Stereotype Survey Highlights. Retrieved October 30, 2007, from http//warriorlibrarian.com/RESEARCH/stereotype.htmlKneale, R. (2004). Wheres The Librarian? Retrieved October 30, 2007, from http//www.librarian-image.net/wheres_the_librarian.htmlMarinelli, S. and Baker, T. (2000). Image and The Librarian An Exploration of a Changing Profession. Retrieved October 30, 2007, from http//home.earthlink.net/cyberresearcher/ImageHomepage.htmHomepageReed, R. (1995). From Librarian to Information Scientist Technology and Occupational Change in A Traditional womanhoods Occupation. Retrieved October 30, 2007, from http//www.wigsat.org/gasat/47.txt