Author: Jennifer

Librarian, blogger, movie lover

Typical or stereotypical?

Exploring the typical characteristics of a librarian — inside and outside the library

What are the typical characteristics of a librarian? In 1876, Melvil Dewey described the typical librarian — mostly men at that time — as “a mouser in dusty books” (qtd. in Schmidt, p. 2).

"The Librarian" by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, circa 1570 (public domain)
“The Librarian” by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, circa 1570 (public domain)

Over a hundred years later, on a Family Feud episode in the 1980s, the top five characteristics of a librarian (qtd. in Walker and Lawson) — mostly women by this time — were listed as:

  1. Quiet
  2. Mean/stern
  3. Single/unmarried
  4. Stuffy
  5. In glasses

Side note: I chuckle at Schmidt’s reaction to this:  “At the time, this [Family Feud] program irritated a number of librarians, but whether their irritation was based on the question, the answer or the fact that the contestant guessed all [the] ‘correct answers’ is still to be determined.” SNAP!

In 2010, the Socialite Librarian listed some typical librarian stereotypes, including:

  • boring
  • shushing
  • quiet
  • middle aged
  • “pinch-faced woman”
  • frumpy dresser
  • bun and glasses
  • judgmental
  • sensible shoes

I find it interesting that almost all of these stereotypical characteristics — many of which are physical characteristics — describe the reel librarian character types of the Spinster Librarian, as well as her male counterpart, the Anti-Social Librarian.

The above characteristics are all connected to perceptions of librarians — by those mostly outside the profession itself. But a 1990 study of librarians using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (in which librarians themselves completed the self-scorable survey) revealed dominant personality types of librarians (Lang). The original study, which included 48 librarians, contrasted results from a previous study of 267 librarians (Johns).

The dominant personalities? ISTJ and INTJ.

  • Characteristics of ISTJ (Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging) include: orderly, responsible, logical, practical, quiet, and thorough. That sounds familiar…
  • Characteristics of INTJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging) include: originality, skepticism, critical, independent, and driven.

Sources used:

A tale of seven shushes in ‘City Slickers II’

Subtlety is not its strong suit, as we will also see in the library scene.

The 1994 film City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold includes a brief scene filmed in the beautiful Doheny Library Reference Room, University of Southern California. This library has starred in several films. Opened in 1932, the library has an elegant yet cozy feeling, with tall windows, light woods, tile floors, and stunning light fixtures.

That’s the good stuff.

Now for the rest…

In this vastly inferior sequel, the main plot is pretty obvious by the film’s subtitle. Subtlety is not its strong suit, as we will also see in the library scene.

The MacGuffin? Mitch (Billy Crystal) has discovered a treasure map in Curly’s hat. His excitable friend Phil (Daniel Stern) has been researching the Western Pacific Railroad because he suspects the money traces back to a train robbery. A trip to the library — a logical next step, no? — basically serves to legitimize the plot, such as it is.

The library scene takes place a little over 30 minutes into the film. The camera pans down from the gorgeously ornate library ceiling to a closer shot of Billy Crystal rifling through bound newspaper volumes. Blink, and you might miss a male reel librarian cruise by. Although unidentified in the film’s credits, how do you know he’a reel librarian? Because he’s pushing a shelving cart, of course! This unidentified African-American male is quite young (maybe in his 30s?), dressed in typically conservative outfit of grey slacks and a red button-down shirt.

Librarian with library cart in City Slickers II
Library cart alert!

I counted 7 shushes in this 3 1/2 minute scene — or a one-shush average per 30 seconds. Let’s count ’em down:

Phil is looking up old newspaper clippings on a microfiche machine, his eyes wide. He shouts out “I got it!” as he reads an article from the Carson City News.

He and Mitch talk loudly, and Phil excitedly shouts out again: “This is fate!”

SHUSH ONE:

Brought to us by an older man — billed in the credits as Annoyed Man in Library. There’s no indication that he’s a librarian, only that he’s following library rules. Phil shoots back an “Up yours” to Annoyed Man.

They get excited again (of course).

Annoyed Man in Library
Annoyed Man in Library

SHUSH TWO:

Again, by the Annoyed Man in Library. This time, Mitch whispers back, “Sorry, sorry.”

The Annoyed Man throws some more exasperated looks their way. Finally, he stands up, slams his book closed, and walks away.

SHUSHES THREE & FOUR:

These shushes come from other library users.

Mitch pushes Phil across the aisle and into the stacks — still arguing loudly.

SHUSH FIVE:

Time to bring out the big guns! This time, a white, middle-aged female librarian gives them the shush, contributing her bit to Comic Relief. The reel librarian (Helen Sigh) whizzes by, pushing a shelving cart (of course). She wears conservative jewelry (gold button earrings and brooch) and clothing (a long-sleeved and high-necked green blouse), with glasses hanging off a lanyard.

Note:  She’s billed as Shushing Lady. Subtle.

Shushing Lady in City Slickers II
Shushing Lady in City Slickers II

SHUSHES SIX & SEVEN:

Still more arguing. As Mitch turns away, Phil cries out after him, earning SHUSHES SIX and SEVEN from Mitch himself. Phil’s reaction? “Don’t shush me!”

A few seconds later, after spying a picture of the train robber who looks just like the deceased Curly, Mitch then lets rip a shush-curdling scream. The film cuts away immediately, so we can only imagine the reaction in the library!

Sources used:

  • City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold. Dir. Paul Weiland. Perf. Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Jon Lovitz, Jack Palance. Castle Rock Entertainment/Warner Home Video, 1994.

The Spinster Librarian

Exploring the Spinster Librarian character type

In spirit of the new year, I will spend some time delving into each of the librarian character types I’ve identified on this site (found under the Role Call section). So for each Friday for the next couple of months, I’ll highlight a different librarian character type.

I have already mentioned the Spinster Librarian character type quite a few times already. It felt fitting to put this character type at the beginning of this series (or would it be more appropriate to call it a mini-series? hah!), as it is often the first image that comes to mind when one mentions librarian. And such a visually stereotypical image at that. For my undergraduate thesis, “A Glimpse Through the Glasses: Portrayals of Librarians in Films,” I originally referred to the Spinster Librarian type as “The Meek Spinster.”

This is perhaps the most recognizable image of a librarian, one that conjures up an image of a bespectacled older woman, unattractively thin or even gaunt, with her hair scraped back into a severe bun. Lanyards are the Spinster Librarian‘s accessory of choice. Fussy bows, long skirts, hats, and shirts buttoned all the way up complete the typical uniform. Of all the stereotypical roles, the Spinster Librarian is most identifiable by physical characteristics and appearance. Personality wise, the adjectives uptight, meek, or unsociable spring to mind.

Google image search for "Spinster Librarian"
Google image search for “Spinster Librarian”

These women usually have small roles, ones not integral the plot. Indeed, the Spinster Librarian is best portrayed in a small amount of screen time! As stated in the article “The Librarian Stereotype and the Movies” (see Resources), “the longer a stereotype remains on screen, the less credible it becomes” (p. 17). And it makes sense that almost all of the Spinster Librarian characters I’ve identified so far are found under Class III, a listing of films in which the librarians are secondary characters, usually with only a few lines in one memorable or significant scene.

The silent film The Lost Romance (1921) seems to be the first film featuring a Spinster Librarian, as identified by Ray & Brenda Tevis in The Image of Librarians in Cinema 1917-1999 (p. 9). A not-so-noble tradition was born! A film still from this film (at left) reveals the glasses, bun, dowdy clothes, and forbidding expression prevalent of the Spinster Librarian. The Tevises also make an interesting observation that this film also established this type as a primarily supporting player, a role used to contrast with younger, more attractive female characters in leading roles, who are usually Liberated Librarian or Spirited Young Girl character types. I’ll get to those roles soon, no worries.

The first Spinster Librarian, as seen in A Lost Romance
The first Spinster Librarian, as seen in A Lost Romance

The most (in)famous example of the Spinster Librarian should come as no surprise… Mary in It’s a Wonderful Life. Or rather, Mary as she’s portrayed in the second half of the film, when George experiences life as if he’d never been born. This cartoon (click image to see the original, larger version) sends up this stereotypical portrayal.

Citizen Kane (1941), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Cain and Mabel (1936), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), The Caveman’s Valentine (2001), and Christine (1983) all boast middle-aged/older, no-nonsense Spinster Librarians. And TWO spinsters — one living, one a ghost — make for a memorable opening scene in Ghostbusters (1984).

Next week, a deeper look at the Liberated Librarian… stay tuned!

Sources used:

  • Tevis, Ray, and Brenda Tevis. The Image of Librarians in Cinema 1917-1999. McFarland, 2005.

Of libraries and G-Men

J. Edgar Hoover’s connection to libraries

I have been slowly reading my way through Kathleen Low’s book Casanova Was a Librarian: A Light-Hearted Look at the Profession, published by McFarland in 2007. (By the way, Casanova was only a librarian the final four years of his life, a job he took out of desperate need for money.) While reading about famous librarians throughout history, my husband had to endure lots of “I didn’t know that!” shout-outs. For example, I never knew that J. Edgar Hoover, the infamous iron fist behind the FBI, was at all associated with libraries. In fact, he worked for five years at the Library of Congress. (By the way, I got to visit our nation’s premier library at an American Library Association Annual Conference, on a special behind-the-scenes tour for librarians. It was fabulous!)

Born in Washington D.C., Hoover got a job as a messenger at the Library of Congress in order to qualify for the federal work-study program, to help fund his way through George Washington University. He rose to the position of library cataloger and finally, clerk — but never to the level of librarian. After graduating with a master’s in law, he quit to pursue a position at the Department of Justice, and the rest, as they say, is history.

J. Edgar Hoover, FBI Photos, is in the public domain
J. Edgar Hoover, FBI Photos, is in the public domain

Several biographers, including Curt Gentry in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and His Secrets, speculate that had Hoover stayed at the Library of Congress, he would have eventually become the head librarian. And the absence of a library science degree wouldn’t have been an issue. Of the 13 individuals — all men — who have held the Librarian of Congress title, only 3 have had prior experience and/or library education. (Sigh.)

But, of course, most librarian films do not mention library training or job qualifications (click here for a previous related post on that topic), and I personally include any library worker as reel librarians, as well.

So it looks like I’ll be putting the latest Clint Eastwood film, J. Edgar, on my list to watch. It has earned middling-to-respectable reviews, and lead star Leonardo DiCaprio has garnered Best Actor nominations for the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards. Will he get an Oscar nomination?

The Library of Congress can be glimpsed in the trailer below. And a review in the Seattle Times mentions a scene from the film set in the library, in which Hoover is “thrilled by the organization of the card catalog.” And who wouldn’t be? 😉

“J. Edgar Movie Trailer” video uploaded by Kellvin Chavez is licensed under a Standard YouTube license

Also, you might be interested in The F.B.I. Story (1959), cinematically illustrating (or embellishing?) the history of the FBI. Jimmy Stewart plays G-Man John Michael “Chip” Hardesty, who marries public librarian Lucy Ann (Vera Miles).

Sources used:

  • Gentry, Curt. J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets. W. W. Norton, 2001.
  • Low, Kathleen. Casanova Was a Librarian: A Light-Hearted Look at the Profession. McFarland, 2007.
  • Macdonald, Moira. “Confusing ‘J. Edgar’ More Sketch than Portrait.” Seattle Times, 10 November 2011.

A good year

A look back at stats for the first few months of Reel Librarians

Happy 2012! Around March, I’ll probably get used to writing out 2012 instead of 2011. Before moving full steam ahead, let’s take a tiny look back. I started this blog in late September 2011, and the experience continues to be so personally rewarding! Thanks to everyone who has stopped by, subscribed, or just had a chuckle or two while reading my musings on reel librarians.

Quick stats:

So let’s roll some numbers on stats I do have, breaking down my blog for 2011:

  • 2085 total views
  • 221 tags
  • 104 days
  • 93 pictures uploaded
  • 61 likes
  • 60 posts (not including this one)
  • 54 categories
  • 43 comments total
  • 32 shares
  • 18 visits daily average
  • 10 followers
  • 3.5 months

Most popular pages:

I don’t have any stats on how many times I’ve mimicked Amy Adams in Julie & Julia: 

“I could blog about that.”

😉