Hello! I think it’s useful to know that this website and blog about reel librarians (i.e. librarians in film) is written by a real librarian! I am Jennifer Snoek-Brown, an academic librarian in the U.S. It must be in the genes, as my mother is also a librarian. I literally grew up in libraries, and I spent many happy hours watching films from my family’s VHS movie collection. To complete my undergraduate studies in 2001, I wrote an honors thesis called “A Glimpse Through the Glasses: Portrayals of Librarians in Film.” I continued my interest in analyzing the image of librarians in movies during my MLIS studies, and throughout my career as a librarian. So… that means I’ve been analyzing reel librarians for over two decades! 🙂
I began this Reel Librarians site back in fall 2011, and the home page is a blog, where I currently write and publish two posts a week. You can sign up with your email to get notified about every new post. My blog posts usually include analysis and commentary on films featuring reel librarians. Fair warning, I sometimes go off on research tangents. Because that’s what librarians do. 😉
I love movies, and I love librarians. As Roger Ebert said:
“…beneath everything else, a fan.”
Therefore, disclaimer alert: I suspect these personal biases will be detectable throughout my posts!
Have I missed a movie? Please let me know by leaving a comment or email me at reel.librarians [at] gmail [dot] com.
REEL LIBRARIANS 
Hello, I found your blog while looking for dewey decimal examples to put on fake library books on a tv show. I’ve spent quite a bit of time creating library book labels in the past – mostly for the tv show Young Sheldon. I always try to get them right. Of course, I have no control over what happens to the books after I hand them off to the people on set. They get misshelved all of the time – in fact we only check the labels in the area that we are told will be seen up close. The rest of the shelves have labels that are all mixed up. I used to go through the library set and flip upside down books right side up. Anyway, I’m kind-of glad that someone might appreciate the trouble that I go to to get it right, but I’m also afraid that they will notice errors! Happy hunting!
Thank you so much, Melissa, for your comment! Your work sounds FASCINATING! And I can understand your mixed feelings… because I do point out errors of misshelving and call numbers when I see them, and I also appreciate the details when y’all get it right! (I’ve also been contacted personally by professionals doublechecking call numbers!) It’s good to learn that some errors may be down to set dresser crews misshelving books. I’m going to follow up with an email, because I feel like there’s definitely more to learn here about how this happens behind the scenes. Thank you!
Ahhh I love this so much! I was just thinking about the portrayal of Mary as librarian in It’s a Wonderful Life and what a tragedy it was supposed to be! Haha
I didn’t see this on the list, so I thought I’d share: Witches of East End (two seasons on Lifetime) features tons of library scenes because one of the main characters, Ingrid Beauchamp, is a librarian. Her coworkers are included regularly as well and they have a nice mix of personalities, I think.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Olivia! And I will definitely be adding Witches of East End to the TV Shows list — sounds like fun! Thanks again!
Very much enjoying browsing this one – I’m actually trying to find examples of small academic libraries in fiction for a project at the moment ^_^ One I think you’re missing is the recent BBC adaptation of The Tractate Middoth, with key scenes in the library
Thank you, John, both for being a reader of this blog, and for suggesting a title to add to the list! Much appreciated!
Hi, love your blog! I just came across a music video which might interest you: set in a library, with a male librarian as the love interest. Cascada – ‘Everytime We Touch’
Thank you, Felicity! 🙂 Lots of stereotypes to sift through in this music video!
It’s a stereotype gold mine!
Hello there! I just wanted to say thank you, thank you very, very much! I was in the Librarian course in my local college, and my thesis was based on how the image of the librarian is currently shown in movies during the decade of 2000 to 2010. Your site and your lists were of crucial help, to the point where, frankly, I couldn’t not place your name and your site in the ‘thank you’ section of the thesis (alongside the references!). I’m currently transforming this thesis in an academic paper, which I’d be glad to share if you’d like! (Though, sadly it’s in portuguese) Nonetheless, thank you very very much in helping me (and hopefully others) in becoming librarians!
What a wonderful comment, thank you, R.B.A.! I have a soft spot for theses, as that’s how I got interested in analyzing librarians in movies, too! 🙂 And congrats on turning your thesis into an academic paper — and yes, indeed, please do share when it becomes available! It would be so interesting to read your thoughts on reel librarian portrayals at the turn of the 21st century. (And there’s always Google Translate to help out with language translation!) It’s an honor to be included in your thesis, and it’s so touching that you placed my name in the “Thank You” section. I just feel so humbled. I will also send you an email, just in case you don’t see my reply in the comments. Thank you again for leaving a comment and letting me know about your work in reel librarians! Congratulations!
Hello! I run a horror movie podcast called Fright Club. We are planning an episode on libraries in horror, and was wondering if you would like to join us. It would be about an hour taping time. Thanks!
Oh! I’ve just seen that you put your email address above. I will try emailing you, maybe from a different address than I left before (meganblake816) because I am running into trouble with my messages going to people’s spam folders. I will try emailing from girlinfilm (at) gmail.
Hello! This is such a strange request, but I am a graphic designer in the film industry, and I have a Dewey Decimal question for a book we are using as a prop. I stumbled upon your blog, and wonder if there is a way to contact you? thank you in advance!
Hello!
Waaaay back, I mentioned I was doing some doctoral work on representations of librarians in popular culture and I was looking at things like the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries as well as an assortment of other media…
Well, I finally finished my project (you can see it here: http://summit.sfu.ca/item/18659)
and I owe you a huge thank you for your work! You helped me try and locate resources and compare what has been ‘done’ with emerging materials.
I now have rebooted my own blog that includes reviews of materials, with a frame around librarianship)… it is still young but I’m hoping to incorporate critical reviews of items that include pop culture as it relates to LIS. https://resistantlibrarian.home.blog/
Again, thanks for your work… very very important that you are doing this!
Christina Neigel
I do remember you commenting before about your doctoral work and the Aurora Teagarden mysteries! That’s so exciting about your finished work, and thank you so much for following up. And you have made my day that I was able to help you, even just a bit, in your project. If you ever want to do a guest post on Reel Librarians, please let me know!
I love the concept! I love the blog! I look forward to following.
Thanks, I hope you enjoy the weekly posts. And there’s lots more “behind the scenes,” so to speak, in the pages along the toolbar. 🙂
Oh, fun! I will check it out.
I just discovered another film to add to the Class V category, films with no identifiable librarians, a low-budget horror film titled The Lost Tree. The film itself is probably not worth writing a post about it (although it does build a nice atmosphere and generate some chills despite the obvious low budget and it does have Michael Masden in a bit part); however it does have a scene in the Los Angeles Public Library. The protagonist goes there to conduct research after strange things start happening at the cabin he has rented.
David Anderson
Thanks, David! I will add the film to the Class V page. 🙂
Massacre at Central High (1976). Don’t know if this would count for your blog since there aren’t any librarians..but there is an annoying library aide and a couple of scenes of library vandalism that should make anyone in the profession shudder!
That totally counts! I just added this film to my Master List, and thanks for passing on this title! 🙂
I just gave you a plug on a Proquest blog about best library movies.
http://corporate.blogs.proquest.com/blog/proquest/librarians-and-libraries-enduring-media-darlings/comment-page-1/
You rock!
Wow, thanks so much, Nanette! That’s awesome! 😀
Hello i am also a librarian but a french one (known as the best ones). Some people told me about your blog : i want to notice that i have me too a blog on the same subject which is called notorious bib (french word playing). You should watch on it if you search some others movies references. I should do the same thing by surfing on your blog. –> http://notoriousbib.wordpress.com/
Have a good day,
Misterpamp
Thanks so much, Mister Pamp! I will *definitely* add your blog to my Resources page, as well as to my sidebar of related resources. I have a Foreign Films list of titles, as well, on this site but English-language films are my primary focus. I’m so glad this topic of reel librarians is getting a diverse, international focus — I have an Irish counterpart, as well, Colin @ Libraries at the Movies, http://librariesatthemovies.blogspot.com/, that you might also want to check out.
And LOL on your opening line — loving your national pride! 😀
Hi,
I just discovered Reel Librarians and am thoroughly enjoying it. Thank you! I actually did my Masters thesis on the subset of American Public Libraries in film, here’s alink if you’re interested.
http://www.angelfire.com/oz/tomgoodfellow/LibrariesinFilm.htm
Angelfire! Those were the days.
Tom
Thanks so much — so glad you’re enjoying the site! And I will have fun exploring your master’s thesis, and I’ll add the link to my Resources page. And Angelfire, ahh, yes, I remember those days. 🙂 Cheers!