Describe a librarian. I mean, in the movies. What’s a movie librarian like? You know what I’m talking about: female, fiftyish, thin, single, horn-rimmed glasses, hair in a tight bun, lives with five cats, and goes around SHUSHING everyone. There are TONS of examples of this kind of thing in the movies, and it ALWAYS gets me mad. It has for years! You doubt me? Just try sitting in the same room with me and watching a movie with a “typical” librarian in it! Hell hath no fury….

So anyway, there’s a movie coming out called The Hollywood Librarian. It’s a movie about how librarians are portrayed in movies and how there is a reciprocating relationship between librarians and modern culture. Go figure! Here’s its own description:

“The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians in Film is a full-length, feature documentary film now in production. The first of its kind, this film will show the realities of 21st century librarianship in the entertaining and appealing context of American movies. Dozens of interviews with real librarians will be intercut with film clips of cinematic librarians in order to examine such issues as stereotyping, censorship and intellectual freedom, books and literacy, library funding, equal access ~ in short, the whole impact of librarians in our culture and society.”

Library Journal mentions that a private source donated $50,000 as “seed money” so the library consultant who is producing the documentary can work full time on the film. Apparently she’s already spoken about this project at over 25 different events and is now able to stop doing presentations and focus on the film, even though the website implies that she is still looking for sponsors even while filming.

I will be curious to see this film when it comes out. Don’t know when that will be, so until then I will leave you with MY favorite librarian anti-stereotype:

Conan the Librarian!
Conan the Librarian