Kateri makes a useful comment in her last paragraph. Sometimes the
perception is the reality, and out 'stuffed shirt' 'high horse' response
to this matter has lived up to our stereotype, and perhaps lack of self
worth and lack of ability to poke fun at ourselves? Making ourselves
media smart would be well worth the effort, and probably have lots of
benefits, we may even get smarter in other respects as a result.

What must the non librarian observers from out side our profession be
thinking about our reaction to this? I admit when I first read it I
thought it would be great fun for one of our lively and extrovert
colleagues to participate, and still think we should have inundated the
programme makers with loads and loads of really fun, extrovert, amusing
and dynamic librarians. This would in itself have changed some minds,
now I fear we have played into their hands.
f

-----Original Message-----
From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kateri Wilson
Sent: 19 April 2005 12:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Faking It saga continues!!

What an exciting read this saga has been.
 
I was surprised CILIP was going with the original idea since even the
original description had a hint of
we-want-someone-really-dull-who-will-blossom-like-a-flower-under-our-con
trol. Let alone the dependence on books - which I find is an
increasingly small part of my job. However, it is clear that whoever
tries to convince you into doing these things has a way with words.
 
My wonderment is that people believe there is really such a person.
Perhaps we should be less worried about how they will portray librarians
(it's clear it will be a stereotypical view) and more concerned with why
so many people assume this to be a true representation of a whole group
of people (let alone an accurate view of that individual). Maybe we
should look at how to make people media smart, rather than try and
change the TV programmes, after all if they make money they won't be
pulled.
 
Kateri Wilson