READy to Talk is a new discussion meme that will come up few and far between, just when I have something bookish on my mind. Something that I want to get y’alls opinion on!
Most times when I say I’m a librarian, the person I’m telling always think I sit in the stacks and read all day. Although I wish that were true, that’s not how my job works. In fact, many of the librarians I’ve worked with DON’T READ.
But then I’ve come across some people at my branch that think the opposite of me. And only me. And I can’t for the life of me begin to think of why that is.
Back in the day, most librarians looked like this. Now there’s nothing wrong with this look, but that’s just not me. I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t look like this or what, but I’ve gotten the surprised question of a shocked, “YOU READ?!” And honestly, just one time I want that to NOT be a surprise. Sometimes I think it’s my AGE because I look young and they’re always so shocked that I immediately became a librarian. Like someone came in and said they enjoyed, a historical book, and they talked about what they rated it and then a co-worker said “Well she liked it and she doesn’t even like historical fiction so I guess it’s worth the 600+ hold that’s still on it.” The lady looked at me like and immediately said, “You read that?” I was like “Yeah…. Why?” She said, “Oh I just didn’t know….” and didn’t finish her statement. I always wonder what she was going to say. She also knows that I’m a librarian here, so I’m not sure why that was so shocking. It’s just so weird.
But the reason I’m writing this is because of what just happened at the desk. I was sitting there and someone came up and asked for fluffy summery recs and y’all know, that’s my JAM. The other lady at the desk with me reads, but not nearly as much as I do, so she immediately turns my way. The lady sees this and STILL talks to the lady looking at me for suggestions. So she says now, “I don’t really read that much, but I can try my best.” So the lady goes “Ok I like summery feeling books.” At this point my co-worker is looking around on the computer so I said, “Like Elin Hilderbrand, Debbie Macomber, and authors like that?” She FINALLY looks up at me and gets all excited like, “Oh you’ve read those?!” I wanted to throw the books we found for her. (Yes, they are always yt)
And this has happened a few times. People look at me and automatically assume I don’t read so they go to the next person. Being honest, there’s only TWO avid readers at my branch (me and my co-worker who I’ll call Mimi) and for whatever reason they’ll assume everyone else is a reader before me. At first it wasn’t bugging me, but now I really want to know what the big deal is.
/rant
So am I wrong for feeling some type of way about this?
Has anyone else ever experienced this?
Let me know in the comments!