The Hidden Library Universe

Libraries have supposedly been declining in popularity since the late 1900s. I would argue exactly the opposite. There are so many things that people don’t know about the fundamental social institution that is a library. So, here is a fun list of things that I have found in my library life.

1. Librarians are some of the funniest people you will ever meet. They crack jokes that are so unexpected it catches you off guard and leaves you stunned for approximately 2-5min. Their humor is an acquired taste seeing as they are basically paid to be walking dictionaries of facts. They will pull random facts out of nowhere and then make it the funniest pun you’ve ever heard. For example, we are getting ready for tour time at the University of Michigan Law Library. We were double checking the signs for each station and they decided to put fun facts on each one. One looked up and said with a straight solemn face, “Why didn’t you guys use the fact about wombats pooping cubes and using them to claim their area?” (Casual) To which another replied without thinking, “Oh so they use sh*t to claim their sh*t?” Now to others this may not seem all that funny but, in a meeting of quiet professionals, it was the funniest thing I’ve heard. So, lesson from this, never underestimate a librarian’s knowledge and use of it for humor in the workplace.

2. Most common misconception about librarians is that they are retired old ladies that just need something to do. That is so unbelievably wrong. To be a professional librarian, one must have a Master’s in Library Sciences (or equal degree in archives/related field). A majority of the librarians that I have worked with are young (around 30) and have kids. They are not loners or old cat ladies. Although there are some that fit the stereotype (myself possibly included), most have very active social lives.

3. Libraries are not as organized as everyone thinks. Although everyone thinks of the Dewey decimal system, we now use the library of congress system. This still does not mean we are any more organized than a bookstore. The amount of times I have searched for a book only to have to mark it missing at a University library is insane. It happens about once a week! Now not all libraries are like this but, it doesn’t mean that librarians are any more adept at finding books than patrons (lol). Most of the time we just know more places that it might be ‘hiding’.

4. Library staff are basically IT professionals too. We have to have an extreme knowledge of coding languages and how different systems work. I had to create websites and databases just to pass the intro classes. Now that’s not to say we know everything that tech knows, we just know how to a little more than the typical “percussive maintenance” that I used to do on things that didn’t work.

5. You can find a lot more than just books in libraries. My favorite thing I learned when interviewing library professionals for class was the ways the adapt to the community’s needs. My personal favorite was the new type of lending the Capital Area District Libraries started awhile ago. They have a collection that they call the Library of Things. They rent out donated objects for the public to use. This could be things like their 3 sewing machines or even an entire set of hockey equipment in different sizes! It allows members of the community to try new things and participate in sports regardless of their economic status. I absolutely love it! Many libraries also rent out hotspots now. This allows people to have internet access in their cabins and other places to stay connected. So, libraries are a great place to help and create new communities.

Overall, they are not a dying source of knowledge but, an adapting and creative one. I would encourage everyone to make use of the fun, interesting, and eclectic people that work in these intuitions as we love nothing more than to be useful to the public.