I’m not saying stereotyping is a good thing, let’s get that straight upfront.
But if you sit down to watch network primetime with any member of the legal, medical, or forensic science professions, you will quickly learn that librarians aren’t the only group outraged by their treatment at the hands of the the media and entertainment industries. It seems that whether the portrait is flattering or not, no one likes to see their chosen career misrepresented for fun and profit.
In honor of Halloween, on which day, in my opinion, librarians don’t even make the top 10 list for stereotypes, I offer a suggestion: the next time you see the DHL commercial, read Harry Potter, visit Ms. Dewey, or hear the adventures of Ruth Harrison, go ahead and laugh. You’ll be doing your part to dispel the stereotype.