The Hogwarts librarian

[sbursztynski]

No: HPFGUIDX 80305

Is it only me who is just a bit irritated by the cliched presentation 
of Madam Pince the librarian? Really, who'd want her job? The poor 
woman seems to have no asistance whatsoever, and she is on duty 
virtually 365 days a year, from morning till night (in one of the 
novels she closed at 8.00 p.m.). The only time I can recall the 
library being closed to students she was dusting the shelves just 
before Christmas (and if she's at the table on Christmas Day, JKR 
doesn't mention it). She has to put up with students in Invisibility 
Cloaks raiding the Restricted Shelves (restricted for good reason and 
not by her)and leaving smashed lamps around, the terribly good 
Hermione Granger tearing pages out of books and heaven knows what 
else. And still JKR describes her as "thin, vulture-like" (the 
cliched library dragon, it would serve them right if DD hired a real 
dragon for the job) and chasing kids who eat in the library (myself, 
I just ask them to finish their snacks outside, please). I wouldn't 
blame her for leaving for one of those Muggle schools where they have 
the Internet and automated catalogues and you can be involved in 
teaching research skills instead of having popular novelists making 
fun of you! : - )

Sue B