Friday, May 16, 2008

Spreading the Word: The Truth about Librarians

Last fall I recommended a fantastic book called Free For All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert.
This memoir by an assistant librarian with the Los Angeles Public Library system was both funny, heart-wrenching and illuminating on what goes on 'in the stacks' and behind the desk at the public library. USA Today said of the book 'Free For All aims to do for libraries what Bel Kaufman's Up the Down Staircase did for urban schools in 1965 or what Bill Buford's Heat did for professional cooks in 2006.'
I just received an e-mail about an upcoming screening of a documentary that sounds like a good companion piece to the book, helping to dispel myths about the library profession. The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians in Film is said to focus on the work and lives of librarians and how librarians and libraries have been portrayed onscreen throughout the years. The trailer looks fantastic.

If you are in the Toronto area, the documentary will be showing at the Ryerson University Lecture Hall LIB 72 (Library Building) on Wednesday, June 4 at 7:30 and you can buy tickets through the Access OLA website.

I would love to see this, but will be in Vancouver on the 4th- I'll have to wait for the DVD!

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