Oxford librarian candidate Madeline Grant wrote an inappropriate comment about having "a great rack" in her resume proposal to become the student librarian. The comments were quickly removed, but not before newspapers heard about it and were all "heh heh, sexy librarian." People decried the comments as sexist.
I... Hmmmm, how do I comment on this? Is breast size important to librarianship? No. Does it in anyway help a librarian do their job? Dunno, I'm a guy, but my man-boobs have never seen any love in any way while on the job. I have seen inappropriate attention sent towards the more attractive coworkers in my profession, though, so there are some patrons that are simply sexist jerks that use looks as a reason to put down the profession.
However, I will say the comment does show one important aspect that people leave out of librarianship: Sense of humor. A bad, inappropriate and irreverent sense of humor in this case, but a willingness to have a little fun on the job can be priceless on the days when things are not going the right way. I do not want to condone her comments, but I do wish to put out a call for some people to lighten up and enjoy their jobs. You know who you are. Or probably not, but I do not have time to list all of you. Of course, I guess if you are not one of those people, you are in no way reading this and think my blog and I are the worst thing since Library 2.0. Merry Christmas.
If you would like to see a pic of Madeline, here ya go:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2110387/Madeleine-Grant-librarian-contest-Oxford-University-student-boasts-I-great-rack.html
Would-be librarian rues breast quip - Littlehampton Gazette
Dolly Parton recently donated materials to the Coleridge children’s centre in Rotherham, UK. The Imagination Library, which mails books to children to facilitate reading, was started by Parton in her home state.