Looking at the Male Librarian Stereotype

Abstract

Summary The library profession is haunted by stereotypes. Perpetually raising its infamous head is the portrayal of librarians as drab spinsters peering over the rim of their glasses and ready to “shush” a library patron for the offense of talking too loudly. It is an image that was born at the beginning of the twentieth century, and persists, albeit considerably diluted, to this day. On the other hand, positive and negative images of male librarians are to a large extent either ignored or treated very lightly in popular culture, especially in motion pictures and television. Once the exclusive domain of men, American librarianship evolved over the centuries to not just incorporate women, but to embrace and become almost completely associated with them. Stereotypes of male librarians have existed since colonial times; yet, the stereotypes have undergone considerable transformation as a result of professional and societal changes. This article attempts to understand some of the older stereotypes surrounding male librarianship in the United States by examining the position of the early librarian and the environment in which he worked. Current portrayals of male librarians in motion pictures and television are then discussed. The focus of this article is on academic male librarians; however, general male librarian stereotypes and issues are also discussed.