Stereotype and Status: Librarians in the United States

The purpose of this book is to help librarians overcome the problem of stereotypes by explaining how such stereotypes are created and perpetuated, and how they can be defused. Author Pauline Wilson begins with an overview of stereotyping in general, and a discussion of how librarians are stereotyped. She argues that librarians’ reaction to these stereotypes may contribute to their perpetuation. The rest of the book provides perspective on what types of people become librarians and how librarians are educated. The author concludes with suggestions for combatting the negative images of librarians.