Do you want to be a librarian? part two-ish...

When I was a student and I asked the librarian for help, this is what I remember she could do for me:

• help me find books;
• help me use the card catalog (to not find books);
• get me a back issue of a magazine;
• set up my Jackie Mason record on the turntable and give me some headphones;
• give me info on when the library will be showing The Forbin Project and Zardoz;
• find me something to keep me busy so I would sit still and quit riding the elevator up and down all afternoon

Did I leave out anything? If I didn't, then librarians today do at least as much as librarians did in the past. And often more.

I don't think I ever really knew what I would be doing once I became a librarian. I guess I thought that I would help people to locate information so that they could improve themselves. But I guess that's a form of arrogance, that I expect people to want to better themselves. Is my career any less fulfilling or noble when they don't meet my expectations?

So if my job isn't to help people to locate information so that they could improve themselves, can I be happy with less?

If I can't help people to locate information so that they could improve themselves, can I help people locate information (regardless of my perception of its importance)? And if I can't help people locate information, can I still help people (with whatever stupid thing they came in for)?

So a librarian helps people. Sometimes we are able to help them to improve themselves through instruction or by presenting cultural programs or by supplying good books. And sometimes we sit and watch as they fight over the last copy of Wild Hogs (and we weep inside).

But that's what we do. Suck it up and deal with it.