Monday, February 1, 2010

Advice: So Hard to Follow

As both a cataloger and a reference librarian, I am intrigued, yet also troubled, by this advice from A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette:


At least once per year, one of your library's catalogers should walk up to the reference desk and shank a reference librarian with a letter opener. These public shows of aggression will earn you the respect of your colleagues and help maintain the social order in your library.


I'm definitely all for ensuring the prominent place of cataloging in the social hierarchy. And since I'm the sole librarian representing technical services at work, I theoretically don't need to worry about getting shanked with a letter opener at the reference desk myself.

On the other hand, I might get shunned. It's lonely at the top of the social ladder, and I can accept that, but then who'd share chocolate with me?

Besides, it sounds like a lot of work (stabbing? I'd have to raise my arm and stuff) and I don't have a letter opener.

You can see where this is a bit of a dilemma for me.

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