wrapped up in books

[tears_of_nienna]

Ahaha, I can't get this paper organized because I have too fucking much to say about it. The topic? Women and Library Science. Thanks, prof, that's not a crazy-broad subject or anything. Hee, crazy broad, that's me! It's meant to be 750 to 1000 words. I'm at 626 right now and I don't even feel like I've gotten properly started.

I find it weird that

Comments

[sunnyskywalker]

Ugh. If we're going to use stereotypes, why not the "good at multitasking and mistress of the household budget" stereotype? Or "good at asking for more money to spend"? They'd probably be more applicable.

When people try to censor your collection, when the government pops in and starts asking about patron records, when the state tries to slash your funding, being deferent? Is not going to fucking help you.

THIS. Where is our "tough as nails when it comes to winning and keeping rights" stereotype for women? I mean, abolitionists and suffragettes and breaking into a gazillion professions and all the other struggles over the centuries ought to earn us a stereotype, but nooooo.

[tears_of_nienna]

I know!! I found a promising book on feminist thought and librarianship, though, so I don't have to completely despair for my chosen field. :)

[sunnyskywalker]

Ooh, title?

One of my latest assignments was writing a sample grant proposal. This encouraged me. They're teaching us how to wrangle money out of people, cool! I mean, the general idea is, "I deserve this money, because I am awesome and can be even more awesome with money, and it is in your best interests to give it to me. Now pay up."

[tears_of_nienna]

See, writing a sample grant proposal for a class would be amazing and practical! This is clearly why it cannot be done.

The book was called Feminist Thought in American Librarianship, by Christina D. Baum. It's from 1992, but oddly enough so were most of the other relevant sources I found.

[active_apathy]

I am happy that my education in librarianism did not include this; the closest I had to a 'foundations' course involved detailed case studies and comparisons of information agencies as a final paper. One of the main advantages of this approach is that it's a paper that's ACTUALLY ABOUT LIBRARIANSHIP.

[tears_of_nienna]

*gasp* YOU SPEAK TREASON! A paper that is actually about librarianship and practical aspects that might help us in our careers? Never!

[active_apathy]

Alas; my other papers were on things like library disaster management strategies, on acquisitions and collection development procedures, on developments in and implications of advances in search and indexing technologies, on the potential use and impacts of shiny new library technologies with reference to their deployment in real-world information agencies, and other such useful things.

And now, now I despair that having learned how to preserve and recover collection materials from the walls falling down and the rain falling sideways, I neither know how to be properly deferent and nurturing, nor how best to write a "no boys allowed" sign.

[tears_of_nienna]

But we cannot forbid gentlemen within our occupation! That would not show the proper deference at all. Besides, in libraries as in all things, men are meant to be on top of women.

In a purely missionary administrative position, of course.