Loveless Frump as Hip and Sexy Party Girl: A Reevaluation of the Old-Maid Stereotype

Abstract

As computer technology prompts educators and practitioners within Library and Information Science (LIS) to redefine their profession, the old-maid stereotype has yet again become a topic of debate. Previous analyses of the old-maid stereotype have failed to expose how stereotypes work to create meaning at both the point of production and consumption. Without such an understanding, attempts at overcoming the stereotype by willing it away, renaming, or ignoring it will remain futile. Recent poststructural theories, though, allow librarians to understand both the durability and inherent discursive weaknesses in the stereotype and, hence, provide the basis of a more informed strategy for overcoming it. Moreover, the shriveled-prune representation may be part of the fun of being a librarian. This stereotype allows knowledge workers and information managers the opportunity to retain a distinct identity as librarians.