Comments on: Reality TV Celebrity Librarians

By: Ingrid Abrams

Ingrid Abrams — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:48:31 +0000

When the biggest supporter of this article is the dude from Safe Libraries, you know you’re way off the mark.

By: Auntie Mouse

Auntie Mouse — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:05:24 +0000

Joneser, It seems that rather than just continue to complain about how no one where they work will listen to and acknowledge their “good” ideas (if they don’t fit into what their library is doing, are they really good ideas?) and who’s superiors are “threatened” by them (or are they just annoyed by them constantly saying/intimating how inept the management is and how if they would only listen to “ME”, everything would be so much better), people who feel unappreciated need to look for a library where their sensibilities and the organization jibe. If they are truly good and have innovative ideas and they can show what they have done and the effect it has had (within their area of responsibility, that’s what matters), then there are libraries who want them. Good, innovative libraries look for good, innovative people and there are not that many of them so if you are one, start the hard work of finding the library that wants you. But all-talk-and-no-work rockstar librarians who are never at their own library taking care of their own responsibilities there, need not apply.

By: Writer Librarian

Writer Librarian — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:42:16 +0000

A thousand times, yes! So many librarians (and other groups of people, for that matter) are more concerned with looking like they're doing something instead of actually doing something. In a recent blog post of mine, I linked to something called "5 Things Bad Radio Guests Do" and most bad librarian habits applied.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:37:36 +0000

“…the other is by someone who actually works in a library, and thus might have library thoughts worth sharing,”

Seriously? Librarians are increasingly finding it difficult to find work in traditional libraries. That doesn’t mean that they are not good at library work or have well-formed thoughts on libraries.

By: Love It

Love It — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:46:36 +0000

All I can say is, ” Amen.”

By: Public Librarian

Public Librarian — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:10:08 +0000

AL I wanted to be a rockstar librarian…. but you make it sound so cheap! LOL

By: John

John — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 02:09:51 +0000

Joneser, no respectable librarian would give 2 minutes to Dan Kleinman.

By: Dan Kleinman

Dan Kleinman — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:27:47 +0000

Thanks, Joneser. But I’m already an authentic rockstar librarian: “Dan Kleinman seems nice enough, with his quick smile, rock-dude hair, and eager-to-inform persona.” “Keeping Your Kid’s Library Safe,” by J.D. Mullane, Burlington County Times, (NJ) 14 September 2011, p.B1.

Seriously, I could care less what people think of me personally, except when I am helping them in the library. My 15 minutes of fame occurs in my own mind and comes in the form of thank yous. Like from the nursing mother who thanked me for making her very comfortable while breastfeeding in the library, unlike how other libraries discriminate against such mothers, e.g.:
http://safelibraries.blogspot.com/2012/08/MomExposesBreastfeedingFiasco.html

So, Joneser, I hope that answers your request for information.

By: Joneser

Joneser — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:04:50 +0000

AL, there are, unfortunately, a lot of capable people with good ideas who are very threatening to their superiors (a LOT of insecurities in libraries). They aren’t necessarily flashy or on-stage (like rock stars), but having management secure enough to acknowledge their competencies and give them some snaps is a definite problem. While I’m not a big Steve Abrams fan (that uniquely qualified rockstar), I do find a lot of his suggestions helpful.

Too many people end up as deadwood because they have given so much and been trashed for years, and by that point they need the job. It’s an institutional and professional problem, and not just a personal, individual one.

Perhaps Dan could give us his views as to what it’s like to be a rockstar-wannabe librarian.

By: Dan Kleinman

Dan Kleinman — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:50:37 +0000

Love it!