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?

Seems I am BU, fair enough. Some interesting comments made.

I do, however, recommended Rebecca of Sunnybrook farm if anyone hasn't read it.
And then at least you'll have read one classic Rebecca.

This thread has raised in me a feeling from being proud to being totally crestfallen. Born and raised by 3 Librarians (my Godmother lived with us and was a second mother and another Librarian) the rape of the Libraries that has gone on over the last 15/20 years is horrific! Thank you to those pp who have pointed out that the role of a Librarian used to demand knowledge worthy of a degree. And yes OP your point is well made! Those who accuse her of being a snob or lacking fuller understanding - well you need to research this better you yourself. Anyone who ever cared about Libraries never saw them as simply a place for musty old stories - you're missing the point completely to the point of total ignorance! YES a Librarian SHOULD know the books the OP raised! THATS the bloody point of their role!!! To believe they don't need to demeans their role. A bit like calling a mother a nappy changer! Don't you dare do that! That recent society has believed that all Librarians represent is an old maid that files books. It's such a massive shame that this has happened because real/qualified Librarians are so so so much more. The loss of their services to our communities is criminal!

SunnydaleClassProtector99
I don't really enjoy much gothic literature on the whole, so it was always going to be a hard sell. If you enjoy gothic literature then you'll probably enjoy it a lot more than me.
I didn't buy into the narrator's characterisation at the start, and I think if the reader engages with the narrator then they will enjoy the book more. It was also a seminar text at university, which meant in addition to disliking the book, I was subjected to hours of unpicking that made the whole experience even more tedious.

I won't mourn the loss of a naming books specialism.
Reading, analysis, absorbsing, imparting, researching.
Naming books.
No.

And as you like it is overrated.

@UrAWizHarry

"intellectual snobbishness at it's (sic) worst."

Loving that you felt the need to put the sic in there .

That sums my point up perfectly - imagine being so up your arse that you were concerned that strangers on an anoymous website thought you might misplace an apostrophe.

In the real world, As You Like It is 2nd tier Shakespeare. I'd probably be slightly shocked if people hadn't heard of Romeo and Juliet/Macbeth/Hamlet but AYLT? Nah. It's not even that good.

And besides, so what? Don't make the mistake of thinking that knowledge of random, mostly useless facts = intelligence.

Spot on! Like apparently not knowing who the PM is (wouldn't we all like to forget) is the same as not having heard of As You Like It. But yay that I'd heard of Romeo & Juliet (got to love DiCaprio). Actually did English Lit at A level (not got a Master's unfortunately unlike half the posters on this thread) - still had never heard of The Handmaid's Tale or As You Like It.

That's how I feel about Heart of Darkness and The Red and the Black.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
Said someone.
Not Shakespeare.

Thank you to those pp who have pointed out that the role of a Librarian used to demand knowledge worthy of a degree. And yes OP your point is well made! Those who accuse her of being a snob or lacking fuller understanding - well you need to research this better you yourself. Anyone who ever cared about Libraries never saw them as simply a place for musty old stories - you're missing the point completely to the point of total ignorance! YES a Librarian SHOULD know the books the OP raised! THATS the bloody point of their role!!! To believe they don't need to demeans their role.
There's a key phrase there that undermines much of the rest of the point: USED TO.

There is something quite funny about you getting annoyed at people, telling them they are ignorant and need to research the role of a librarian more, when the main focus of your argument is what USED TO be a librarian's role.

Your whole post is getting annoyed and accusing people of not caring about libraries on the basis that people have, quite rightly, pointed out that most library staff are not qualified librarians, nor are their responsibilities the same as a qualified librarian.

Excellent post Wills.

YES a Librarian SHOULD know the books the OP raised! THATS the bloody point of their role!!!

As it's been pointed out though, libraries are mostly staffed by 'library assistants' on close to minimum wage, and volunteers.

Libraries are also not just about books and are a completely different service nowadays. It's a hub for computer use, council services, other community resources. A traditional, trained Librarian worthy of a degree might not have relevant skills to help customers apply for their Blue Badge, advise someone on how to apply for council housing, or to teach an elderly person how to set up an email account and use Google. A different skill set is now required within community libraries. Books are no longer the main event in Libraries so it's not actually 'the bloody point of their role'.

BrilliantBetty
Well said.
I'm not convinced it's the people discussing the current role of library staff who are 'missing the point to the point or ignorance' and need to 'research this better'.

@Wills

This thread has raised in me a feeling from being proud to being totally crestfallen. Born and raised by 3 Librarians (my Godmother lived with us and was a second mother and another Librarian) the rape of the Libraries that has gone on over the last 15/20 years is horrific! Thank you to those pp who have pointed out that the role of a Librarian used to demand knowledge worthy of a degree. And yes OP your point is well made! Those who accuse her of being a snob or lacking fuller understanding - well you need to research this better you yourself. Anyone who ever cared about Libraries never saw them as simply a place for musty old stories - you're missing the point completely to the point of total ignorance! YES a Librarian SHOULD know the books the OP raised! THATS the bloody point of their role!!! To believe they don't need to demeans their role. A bit like calling a mother a nappy changer! Don't you dare do that! That recent society has believed that all Librarians represent is an old maid that files books. It's such a massive shame that this has happened because real/qualified Librarians are so so so much more. The loss of their services to our communities is criminal!

Absolutely. Anyone can do the admin jobs. Knowing about books and loving reading is so important. Times have changed though. More’s the pity.

Knowing about books and loving reading is so important.
And nothing fosters a love of reading more than a, "Didn't you know that. How silly. It's common knowledge" attitude.

All this thread will have taught those less well read they'd better brush up on titles rather than reading widely to complement their own likes and interests.
It's exactly this snobbery of what people 'should' read that puts people off.
Back of a cereal packet, graphic novel, comic, Vogue, Harry Potter.
Does it matter as long as you enjoy it and it nurtures and grows that love and skill.

I'd be very surprised if there were more than a handful of people who have read both books in the title.
But sure they can name them.

I certainly think that English teachers should know and teach something about the literature their pupils are studying. My granddaughter, when in Y9, needed some help with her English homework. They were studying one scene from The Tempest. Not a play I have seen or read, but I knew it was set on an island and had Prospero, his daughter Miranda, and a monster, Caliban. I asked her if she knew anything the play. No, the teacher had said nothing about it. Surely a teacher should take the time to put the subject in some kind of context to make it more relevant to their pupils. I'm not an English specialist. My subject is Maths.

@SunnydaleClassProtector99

Knowing about books and loving reading is so important. And nothing fosters a love of reading more than a, "Didn't you know that. How silly. It's common knowledge" attitude.

All this thread will have taught those less well read they'd better brush up on titles rather than reading widely to complement their own likes and interests.
It's exactly this snobbery of what people 'should' read that puts people off.
Back of a cereal packet, graphic novel, comic, Vogue, Harry Potter.
Does it matter as long as you enjoy it and it nurtures and grows that love and skill.

I'd be very surprised if there were more than a handful of people who have read both books in the title.
But sure they can name them.

The difference is they are not librarians. I assume.

I've read a lot of Margaret Atwood and read The Handmaid's Tale years ago. It is TV that has brought attention to her. It's hardly high end

And she has sold out in order to create more for TV
How The Handmaid's Tail has developed is for TV. It is not how she would typically write
Yabu op

eddiemairswife Rather than teacher knowledge issues, that sounds like very lazy homework setting to me. Obviously I agree with you that the teacher was wrong.

@WhoNeedsaManOfTheWorld

I've read a lot of Margaret Atwood and read The Handmaid's Tale years ago. It is TV that has brought attention to her. It's hardly high end

No. I prefer the Penelopeid but generally find the author voice in all her works a bit bitter and dark. I'd classify it as easy reading. It's certainly not Tolkien.

I'm pretty sure a very lazy teacher could describe every Shakespeare play thusly:

Bit of mistaken identity, gender politics, jealousy fueled side plot, at least one wet blanket female character and one inappropriate 'comedy scene'.

No need to mention monsters or donkey heads. The devil's in the details.

No Ariel
But I doubt you'll find many people encouraged to volunteer for their local library based on this thread either.

I certainly would think twice about it for fear I can't name multiple Elliott titles.

@SunnydaleClassProtector99

I'm pretty sure a very lazy teacher could describe every Shakespeare play thusly:

Bit of mistaken identity, gender politics, jealousy fueled side plot, at least one wet blanket female character and one inappropriate 'comedy scene'.

No need to mention monsters or donkey heads. The devil's in the details.

Yes they would be lazy teachers.

Well Shakespeare is a bit repetitive at times.
You definitely could use the same PowerPoint if you were savvy.

Thanks to this useless government and years of under investment