To be shocked the librarian was so poorly read?

[bendmeoverbackwards]

In the library recently reserving some books for dd. Librarian had not heard of A Handmaid’s Tale and did not know that As you Like It was written by Shakespeare.

These are not exactly obscure books!

AIBU?

Even if she had heard of them it doesn't make her well read

Ive heard of war and peace, Doesnt mean ive read the brick!

(Its the size of a brick...or breeze block)

@SunnydaleClassProtector99 I’ve asked this multiple times but funnily enough no one answers...

I've also asked it and don't think I've had an answer beyond but surely everyone knows them... they're key pieces of literature...

I do think it is really unfair to criticise the librarian when you can’t get the title of the book right yourself

I’ve asked this multiple times but funnily enough no one answers...

I offered an answer above, but I'm sure it's not one you liked.

As You Like It is not as famous as Romeo and Juliet.
Not even close.

Basically, this isn't about how well read you are, it's about how familiar you are with television adaptation.
Which doesn't indicate you're well read .
It means you've watched a lot of telly.

I adore Shakespeare and have always preferred reading it to seeing it performed. This is especially true of the histories and problem plays.

For all those who are scathing about him, you will be pleased to hear about the proposed cuts to all humanities, arts and MFL degree courses (by up to 50%) which means access to and knowledge of The Bard will diminish at a rapid rate. .

Our local library was privatised and knowledgeable staff with many years experience were sacked and replaced by clueless teens who looked terrified when approached by anyone with book-related questions.

KaptainKaveman
Those cuts concern me greatly. The cuts don't limit exposure to him though, just limit the courses available to those who want to study at a Higher level.
I'm more bothered by the number of schools who try to get round the Shakespeare requirement at KS3 by teaching extracts. What a way to put students off Shakespeare: cut the performance and the drama in favour of analysing an isolated scene. I could rant for England on this.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/books/2019/dec/06/britain-has-closed-almost-800-libraries-since-2010-figures-show

I didn’t suggest the two plays were equally well known. I was making the point that there are levels of knowledge ranging from things you’d expect the person on the street to know to those only specialists would be familiar with. I’d see AYLI to be somewhere in between, but closer to R&J.

Your point about TV adaptations is actually close to what I’m saying. The titles of many Shakespeare plays are just ‘out there’ - adaptations, spoofs, posters for theatre productions, puns... Not knowing them suggests that you’re closed off from that information.

What does it matter? The librarian is not there because s/he has read a lot. S/he is there to help people find information or books. Librarians are not supposed to know the answer to all queries- they are supposed to teach people how to find out for themselves.

@LolaSmiles

KaptainKaveman Those cuts concern me greatly. The cuts don't limit exposure to him though, just limit the courses available to those who want to study at a Higher level. I'm more bothered by the number of schools who try to get round the Shakespeare requirement at KS3 by teaching extracts. What a way to put students off Shakespeare: cut the performance and the drama in favour of analysing an isolated scene. I could rant for England on this.

Me too. Having teachers teach it when they don’t understand or like it is dreadful too. I will never forget reading Macbeth in excerpts around the class with a totally switched off teacher.

My dad was a librarian; his personal interest was mainly around non-fiction, but I doubt he’d think badly of anyone who hadn’t read the books he had (of which there are thousands!).

Not knowing them suggests that you’re closed off from that information.

But you're introducing some cut off point of things everyone should know.
Where's the line? Who decides? As I said previously, I doubt everyone defending the position that the librarian should have known ayli knows Titus Andronicus.
I've read and know TA. What is to stop me deciding that's the cut off point and all those who don't know it are switched off.

I mean, I am still that someone thinks Margaret Atwood is more well known than Bram Stoker. But I accept that that's probably because I was aware of Dracula before hmt personally.
I've read them both but would be less surprised someone didn't know hmt than Dracula.
However, I would expect cultural differences like age, gender and geography to factor in.

@VeryQuaintIrene I genuinely can’t see where you have answered it - I can see discussion about Higo etc? Thanks

Tbh I wouldn't feel confident asking them anything as they plainly don't read - why would someone so badly educated want to help or work in a library - so sad

I don't see AYLI as a commonly known play. In fact, if I were doing Shakespeare comedies on pointless I'd go for that, All's well or Two gentlemen.

I think most people would know Midsummer night's dream or Twelfth Night.

All’s Well That Ends Well
As You Like It
The Comedy of Errors
Love's Labour's Lost
Measure for Measure
The Merchant of Venice
The Merry Wives of Windsor
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Much Ado About Nothing
The Taming of the Shrew
The Tempest
Twelfth Night
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Winter's Tale

@Tiantian21

I do think it is really unfair to criticise the librarian when you can’t get the title of the book right yourself

Yawn. I have addressed this point countless times. Yes I got the title wrong. But the point is I had expected the librarian to have a greater knowledge than me. How this makes me a snob I’ve no idea. As I have said I’m not particularly well read, averagely so. I don’t judge lack of knowledge in others unless it affects their job. And I’ve been put right on that countless times in this thread. And learnt a lot about libraries and their staffing.

I don’t think we’re so far apart on this @SunnydaleClassProtector99 - clearly there cannot be a definitive line, and what you would be surprised at someone not knowing is going to depend on factors like you’ve mentioned.

But there absolutely is a category of general knowledge (in general and within specialisms) where the more of it you know, the more likely you are to be ‘switched on’. As I said to another poster, not knowing one major literary figure might be surprising for a teacher of that subject, but equally could just be one of those gaps we all have. The more major figures they are unaware of, however, the more likely they aren’t actually tuned in at all, and are doggedly sticking to what they know.

@Crinkle77

You may not have read all the plays but if you were a qualified librarian I would expect you to know of them.

A librarian qualification isn't an English Literature qualification. Why don't people get this?

I dont have a literature degree. But I have pretty good general knowledge

My point being that we only know of two gaps, both of which aren't glaring ones, like Romeo and Juliet or A Christmas Carol.

No one is 'anti general knowledge'. It's just a bit that certain people think because their particular pub quiz question is this then it's absolutely essential.
And in that vein, I am absolute rubbish at names and sometimes titles but killer on plot. Whilst I may not be able to name every book I've ever read I could probably identify it by it's themes or events.

Sadly those don't come up much in pub quizzes.

@Greensmurf1

Our local library was privatised and knowledgeable staff with many years experience were sacked and replaced by clueless teens who looked terrified when approached by anyone with book-related questions.

This is such a tragedy. .

So much of society now is geared against reading and the ways in which it is enriching. A knowledgeable Librarian will advise, suggest, recommend and discuss. But let's sack them - it's only books, right?

Me too. Having teachers teach it when they don’t understand or like it is dreadful too. I will never forget reading Macbeth in excerpts around the class with a totally switched off teacher.
I was fortunate to study whole texts, other than one teacher.
On the other hand, who needs extracts? The time would be better spent making sure students know the names of plays so that they don't find themselves the subject of an unpleasant Mumsnet thread.

But there absolutely is a category of general knowledge (in general and within specialisms) where the more of it you know, the more likely you are to be ‘switched on’. As I said to another poster, not knowing one major literary figure might be surprising for a teacher of that subject, but equally could just be one of those gaps we all have. The more major figures they are unaware of, however, the more likely they aren’t actually tuned in at all, and are doggedly sticking to what they know.
I would agree with you on this, and that's precisely why it's silly for people to pretend to be confused by someone not knowing A/B/C because surely everyone knows that... obviously everyone has heard of. There's no need for that sort of faux confusion/not-so-subtle sneering when the more reasonable response would be to think oh right, I'm sure they know other areas/authors/books... maybe they have different interests... maybe theh enjoy different books to me.
The only reason to do the former rather than the latter is if someone has a desire to pat themeves on the back.

“Mind you, nothing was worse than dd's English teacher saying she hadn't heard of Rebecca “

What??!!

With all the books in print at the moment, it’s far more important that the librarian is skilled in using the computer to find out if there is a copy of the book in the library.
I don’t like Margaret Atwood’s books generally and did not finish The Handmaid’s Tale, though I have read The Penelopiad.
I recently helped interview for an English teacher post. Their wide ranging ideas of what constituted ‘good’ literature was interesting but not identical.