once in a while these reporters write an excellent article, but that’s often the exception rather than the rule.

most often they’re clueless. completely, entirely clueless.

one of the most forceful ways of responding to them is to grab a screen shot of their foolishness and then explained in our own voices why they’re clueless.

i used camtasia studio (on windows) to respond to these two offending articles.

http://tinyurl.com/g9kql

http://www.writersforliteracy.org/jaguarcarreview.html

and then if you’d really like to have fun, create your own panel discussion on the topic. see

http://youtube.com/watch?v=GHVbxsbECCM

responding to their offending writing with more writing is battling them on their turf. we need to bring the battle to our turf — to the rich media web — which we own, and they visit.

phil shapiro, public geek
takoma park maryland library

Maria, I don’t know where I or anyone else said that librarians can’t have fun. Your cocktail parties do sound like fun and why would anyone have a problem with them? And I think you mistake not liking an article and not liking the promotion of stereotypes (whether negative or positive) to being pissed. I’m not pissed. I don’t care about the article. But it brought up for me some interesting thoughts about stereotypes… are they ok if they’re positive? Is it ok to say that Jews are good with money? Or that blacks have better rhythm? Those are all positive things, right? And yet they are stereotypes and ones that are pretty darn un-PC for people to say (and frankly, are as inaccurate as the stereotype of the hipster librarian). Sure, some people of any group will fit a stereotype, but many don’t.

I don’t really care about the article. I didn’t plan on writing anything about it until I read a bunch of things where people were so excited that the NY Times called librarians hip. I just found that interesting.

But who knows–maybe this article will inspire some hipster wannabes to start using their public libraries more often. I’m all for good press.

The Desk Set consists of mostly people in their 30’s and we have values. We give a lot back to the community and are “doers.” The article was in the STYLE section not in the city section. If you are pissed about the article, then I suggest you write the article you want to see. Kara wrote an article promoting librarians. Why cut her down?

Also, and more on topic: I totally agree that being a “hipster”, whatever that means, is no guarantee of getting along with other hipsters. It’s like saying all people who are Geminis or who have babies should get along. Not going to happen.

Judging the “hipster or guybrarian” is just as bad as judging the old lady with the bun in her hair stereotype. There are always going to be extremes in any profession.

Just becuase you are a “hipster” doesn’t mean you get along with fellow “hipsters” at work.

The article presents an alternative (and in my view, more positive) stereotype to the one we’ve been saddled with for generations. It seems like we all agree that the truth is to be found somewhere in the middle of the stereotypes presented. The more I think about it, the more mystified I am about the uproar this article has caused in the biblioblogosphere.