Comments on: I Told You So

By: Huck Finnish

Huck Finnish — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:25:02 +0000

Seriously, Elena1980? Those videos were terrible; the first was unoriginal and the second was insanely long and of poor quality. Neither was “informative, educational and entertaining”–and the second has barely been watched, so who cares if it *was* brilliant?

By: Elena1980

Elena1980 — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 18:59:16 +0000

I am so glad I don’t work for many of your libraries (note to the ones who didn’t want to create videos). The videos we have done here have been informative, educational and entertaining.

I like that AL brings out these discussions though, because I believe that we do need to direct our attentions to the Good, and not only to the Bad and the Ugly. Making these sorts of videos should receive constructive criticism. But the good should receive as well.

We librarians have some really great videos out there such as (when it was still fresh): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ArIj236UHs
Also view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mi3WnkK70Y

By: curmudgeonly librarian

curmudgeonly librarian — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 03:56:32 +0000

Let’s face the here and now: good looking people sell stuff.

Here’s an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu-KBxOtJxs

By: bibliophile

bibliophile — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:35:54 +0000

That was excruciating. I’m sorry I clicked on it.

By: Karla

Karla — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 05:35:27 +0000

I thought this video by the University of Technology in Sydney was rather nifty.
Not all videos have to be pathetic attempts at wit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYP_hZmcRgg

By: AnAcademicLibrarian

AnAcademicLibrarian — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:38:33 +0000

If this were librarians making this video, I’d wonder what they were trying to accomplish. In some ways, the “librarian” was a bad stereotype of everything that is wrong with our profession, from the side-buns to the tattoos.

But as a commentary from a comedy troupe, it’s sort of amusing. I think we as librarians can take some good things away from it. If this is how the public really sees us, we’re probably doing something wrong. I have no desire to be seen as a punitive librarian or a hipster, tattooed librarian. I’d much rather be seen as competent professional in my field who provides a valuable service in the library.

I think AL has got it right in criticizing this and other videos and marketing types of efforts like this.

It’s not a matter of creativity. Sure, we should be creative. But our creative efforts should also be appropriate and relevant.

By: David Lankes

David Lankes — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:05:58 +0000

Hi Frank, I’m glad to tell you why a professor would post something like this. The first is the purpose behind the assignment:

1. It put the students out of the comfort zones and showed them they could accomplish something creative that they didn’t think they could (librarianship is a creative act, not simply a repetition of functions).
2. It provided a humorous blowing off of steam around a question they were getting from friends/parents/spouses…namely “you need a degree to be a librarian?”
3. It familiarized them with YouTube and cloud computing at a very real level.
4. It helped them get used to working on teams.

As for why I would then post it? If they are confident enough in their ability to do the assignment, as their professor I should be confident enough to stand behind it.

By: frank

frank — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 09:56:56 +0000

These videos are indeed embarrassing (here’s another
http://quartz.syr.edu/rdlankes/blog/?p=1081 – why on earth would a professor post something like this?),but those who make such videos – and spend a great deal of going on about them on the net – are, thankfully, few in number. The AL would have us think otherwise, but I believe the vast majority of librarians are serious and socially engaged individuals who understand the real value of their profession.

By: John

John — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 06:18:49 +0000

I agree with Frammy. It is a pretty good video. It reminds me of the skits that “A Prairie Home Companion” does with the character “Ruth Harrison: Reference Librarian.”

I liked the video for some of the same reasons that I like the AL blog. AL often is a master at using irony and exaggeration to humorous effect. It kind of surprises me that AL responded to the video with the same humorless literalism that so many of his/her critics respond to the blog.

By: Dances With Books

Dances With Books — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 21:17:03 +0000

Thank you for the post. Our boss here has the fixation to make a library video as well. Boss has practically pestered every librarian, all who refused, until the newbie buckled in. I would send this post to the boss, but I am afraid I would get fired for pointing out the obvious (no, this video will not make us cooler or make the students like us more).

What is it with librarians with inferiority complexes and their stupid videos? The rest of us with some professional sense and dignity would thank you if you quit it.