The Hogwarts librarian

[marika_thestral]

No: HPFGUIDX 80700

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Grey Wolf" <greywolf1 at j...> 
wrote:
<snipped>
Why did JKR decide to picture Pince like this? I think that the 
answer to that question is: because it makes sense. It is a 
believable persona in believable situations and circunstances. 
Yes, a nice, friendly librarian might fit too, but not everyone is 
sunny-faced. The fact that there are people Harry doesn't like in the 
school adds realism to the books. If it hadn't been the librarian, 
but the nurse, we'd now have a thread of angry nurses complaining 
they are not like that. Or caretakers. 
 
I know there have been a few library dragon types in the past, before 
it became a proper profession with qualifications and training in 
working with library users. This is another reason for such a 
librarian at Hogwarts, in fact. There are no "professions" in the WW, 
since there are no Universities. 
 
Grey Wolf

Marika's comment:

Guess what, I'm a librarian, and I'm not even going to argue with you 
about this. Pince makes sense, considering the old fashioned ways at 
Hogwards in general (the importance of titles, discipline, the 
language, servants/house elves etc. - just making a statement here - 
no critisism). 

The vulture-like spinster is an old cliché not only for librarians, 
but also for nurses and elementary school teachers - for the reason 
that once these were basically the only jobs available for unmarried 
middle class women - and guess what... If a woman back then didn't 
get married there must have been something really wrong with her, 
like being ugly and/or rude. (Not my own opinion of course, just 
trying to think like the people who manifested this cliché.) 

Since I work at a medical library with a great reputation I get 
wonderful feedback everyday, so I'll never identify myself or my 
coworkers with a vulture-like person. But I did encounter a few 
librarians like her when I was a kid. I do smile reading about Pince 
while picturing the woman who told me that Nancy Drew stories and 
books written by Enid Blyton were bad for me. 

Marika, who enjoys her job a lot