The Stereotype Stereotype: Our Obsession with Librarian Representation

Authors

Gretchen Keer
Andrew Carlos, Santa Clara UniversityFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2014

Publisher

Association of College and Research Libraries

Abstract

As far back as the early 1900s, librarians have observed and commented on their public perceptions. Over the last 10–15 years, this interest in librarian stereotypes, especially those concerning fashion, sexuality, and subcultural membership, has only increased. But why are we so deeply interested in, invested in, and driven to change librarian stereotypes?

The answers lie in understanding the history of stereotypes in our profession and also in looking outside the profession to larger social conditions.

Comments

An except of this chapter can be found in Keer, G. , & Carlos, A. (2015). The stereotype stereotype: Our obsession with librarian representation. American Libraries, 46(11-12), 38 https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2015/10/30/the-stereotype-stereotype/

Recommended Citation

Keer, G., & Carlos, A. (2014). The Stereotype Stereotype: Our Obsession with Librarian Representation. In The Librarian Stereotype: Deconstructing Perceptions and Presentations of Information Work. Chicago: The Association of College and Research Libraries.