The Hogwarts librarian

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 80596

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Rania Melhem <dunknegg at y...> wrote:

> sbursztynski <greatraven at h...> wrote:
> Is it only me who is just a bit irritated by the cliched 
> presentation  of Madam Pince the librarian?  ...edited...


> Rania Melhem replied:
>
> As a librarian, I totally agree with you. I am very irritated by 
> Madam Pince's description by JKR. I dont know why she is depicted so 
> horribly. And she never seems to help any of the Hogwarts students 
> find information. 
>
> Rania

bboy_mn:

There is a reason why stereotypes and cliches exist; because there is
some truth to them.

True a modern Librarian is a whole new breed; but it wasn't that long
ago that the model of a librarian as the town spinster and a strick
discipliarian wasn't that far off.

You also have to look at this from a kids point of view. Because
libraries need to be quiet calm places where people can concentrate,
loud talking, laughing, and running wild aren't allowed. So, while the
kids are having fun and raising hell, the librarian is trying to
restrain them. In a sense, she/he spoils all the fun. Again, that is
from a kids perspective.

So Madam Pince is without a doubt an 'old school' librarian. I
seriously doubt that she has a degree in Library Sciences, and
therefore does not take what one could call a 'modern' approach to
Library Sciences. Her job is to guard the books and maintain order in
the Library, all things that to a kid are counter to having fun. 

Let's also remember that this isn't a modern lending library. This is
a research library with many books that are probably centuries old.
This library also contains many books that are dangerous both in the
sense that they contain dangerous information, and in the sense that
the books themselves are physically dangerous having been cursed,
jinxed, and/or poisoned. 

The contents of THIS library are far more dangerous and valuable than
the average modern lending library, and therefore need a much firmer
hand to control them. 

Just a thought.

bboy_mn