The Librarians is becoming better and better known to us, short of actually having seen it. In fact there is so much information we may never need to watch it.
There is now a review in The Age, and a video preview of extracts from the show. There is also an interview with Wayne Hope and Robyn Butler, the writers (and actor), and ALIA has established a blog for the show - have a look at it. What is more, the ABC also has a website for the show.
I am sure that others could provide more. Have we gone too far already? See you on the 31st - we can talk about it. Or about the weather.
Showing posts with label ABC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ABC. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Friday, 12 October 2007
"I don't make the rules"
Well, I've received my consignment of bookmarks promoting the new ABC television show, The Librarians, subtitled "a wicked new chapter in comedy." I have also seen several promotions for the show, which starts on 31 October at 9.30 pm.
I think we are starting to get something of the flavour of the program now. It is a comedy, and the ABC has done some great comedies. It does play on stereotypes, and we are going to have to live with that, and respond with some non-stereotypical images. I suspect that we may find that some of the elements of The Librarians are unsettling because they are true, and that can't do us any harm. The bookmark bears a picture of Frances, the chief librarian, and a quote from her - "I don't make the rules." Get one now.
I think we are starting to get something of the flavour of the program now. It is a comedy, and the ABC has done some great comedies. It does play on stereotypes, and we are going to have to live with that, and respond with some non-stereotypical images. I suspect that we may find that some of the elements of The Librarians are unsettling because they are true, and that can't do us any harm. The bookmark bears a picture of Frances, the chief librarian, and a quote from her - "I don't make the rules." Get one now.
Friday, 25 May 2007
Librarians watching librarians: our image again
Rebecca has pointed out the ABC website which provides information about the forthcoming ABC comedy, The Librarians. Take a quick look. "The Librarians" will have an impact on how people see us, and already librarians of my acquaintance are looking definitely askance. Others are embracing the idea - some people at the ALIA Library Week gig last night were suggesting we have a celebration on the set.
On the other hand an ALIA newsletter suggests " With a plot like that, the series seems set to tackle some outdated librarian stereotypes. Why not break some of these stereotypes by joining other ALIA groups in planning big screen viewings in local pubs."
"It seems our colleagues are a little worried about the harm the series might do to our image", Rebecca suggests. "Perhaps a nice blog post about it will calm their nerves?" I doubt that, Rebecca.
Unfortunately we librarians are victims of stereotypes which do not serve our interests well. But are we victims? Rebecca suggests that the ABC wouldn't have such a marvellously comic stereotype to work with if some librarians didn't insist on fitting it so well.
Kevin Dudeney, whose blog is linked from this one, has had a few posts lately about Youtube offerings regarding librarians, and I am afraid that they don't offer much comfort. Their main value is to those seeking to define the stereotypes more definitively. There are plenty of short videos shot with backdrops of books arranged on shelves, of standard library circulation operations, and of librarians behind desks. In the library where I work, however, only about 15% of customer document uses (that is, the ones we can count) are loans of physical items such as books and DVDs. Most of the rest are digital and online.
Have a look at The Angry Librarian from tv12673 on Youtube - just do a title search. It is wonderful. It is clear that the librarian has much more of a problem than the customer, and it is great the way the librarian's evident problems build through the short video. Too many of us are more than a little worried, but we do need to look at ourselves, too.
One thought is that we might try to define and detail the stereotypes a bit. Lets talk about them. And see if we can find some stereotypes we like and live them. Some of the new library stereotypes which have been promoted have lacked some credibility, to my mind. What would be credible, and helpful? What do people have in mind when they say, as they quite often do: "I think we need a librarian for this job?"
Who is interested in joining yet another ALIA group, Friends of Library Stereotypes?
On the other hand an ALIA newsletter suggests " With a plot like that, the series seems set to tackle some outdated librarian stereotypes. Why not break some of these stereotypes by joining other ALIA groups in planning big screen viewings in local pubs."
"It seems our colleagues are a little worried about the harm the series might do to our image", Rebecca suggests. "Perhaps a nice blog post about it will calm their nerves?" I doubt that, Rebecca.
Unfortunately we librarians are victims of stereotypes which do not serve our interests well. But are we victims? Rebecca suggests that the ABC wouldn't have such a marvellously comic stereotype to work with if some librarians didn't insist on fitting it so well.
Kevin Dudeney, whose blog is linked from this one, has had a few posts lately about Youtube offerings regarding librarians, and I am afraid that they don't offer much comfort. Their main value is to those seeking to define the stereotypes more definitively. There are plenty of short videos shot with backdrops of books arranged on shelves, of standard library circulation operations, and of librarians behind desks. In the library where I work, however, only about 15% of customer document uses (that is, the ones we can count) are loans of physical items such as books and DVDs. Most of the rest are digital and online.
Have a look at The Angry Librarian from tv12673 on Youtube - just do a title search. It is wonderful. It is clear that the librarian has much more of a problem than the customer, and it is great the way the librarian's evident problems build through the short video. Too many of us are more than a little worried, but we do need to look at ourselves, too.
One thought is that we might try to define and detail the stereotypes a bit. Lets talk about them. And see if we can find some stereotypes we like and live them. Some of the new library stereotypes which have been promoted have lacked some credibility, to my mind. What would be credible, and helpful? What do people have in mind when they say, as they quite often do: "I think we need a librarian for this job?"
Who is interested in joining yet another ALIA group, Friends of Library Stereotypes?
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