“Middle age spinster”. Libraries as amplifiers of discrimination

Abstract

The history of the profession of librarian is inextricably intertwined with the history of the library, especially that of the last decades. The first image that comes to mind when one thinks of a library is that of a closed environment, reserved for academics and scholars, where silent employees compile paper catalogs following intricate rules. In the USA, the nature of these places has changed rapidly since the middle of the last century, when technology has forcefully become part of these realities. These structural changes have initiated a sort of revolution that has not only changed the way of understanding the library itself, but has generated a process of diversification of the work of men and women. In this study, we intend to examine the impact of technology on library workers by paying particular attention to those gender stratifications that have seen men favored for the higher positions and women biologically more suited to so-called technical services (such as cataloging) and public services (such as children’s storytelling).