Friday, March 16, 2007

Funny Stuff

Since it's Friday and I don't feel like writing much, I'll just point to a very amusing blog post entitled "Libraries Need to Be Cool." I wish I could write such a great parody of the hyperactive, "customer-friendly" librarian trying desperately to be "cool" and WOW people. Very funny. I love the line about how libraries should be the "funniest, coolest places in town and on the Net." She really says it like she means it, too. Writing that kind of absurdity with a straight face (metaphorically speaking) is the mark of good satire. If there were more funny stuff like this in the bibliotek blogosphere, I might have to retire.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I want a metaphorical straight face to supplant over my easily read evil humor that typically sits on my visage when dealing with peeps...

Anonymous said...

"Libraries desperately need to be cool."

That would make a great bumper sticker.

Anonymous said...

ooh, greg, me encanta! Here's mine:

"Librarians who read AL are de facto cool."

~the anon seeking a metaphorical-straight-face-mask

Anonymous said...

Obviously, the lobotomy took.

Anonymous said...

It belongs in the pantheon aside Swift's "A Modest Proposal." Agape, I stand nonplussed. (Nonplussed I stand agape?)

--Taupey, the Hyperbolic Kangaroo

Anonymous said...

If this person's serious I don't have the heart to leave my acid dripping sarcasm on their website. They're just too cute!

Anonymous said...

Oh, that's just all wrong. That's pathetic.

Anonymous said...

double ditto that... it's not really satire (or even acidic sarcasm) to substitute one tendentious term for another.

the thing is, Wausau (follow the links back) is actually an Indian word for "very far away from anywhere else" so the librarians HAVE to Rock in order to stay sane.

AL said...

I'd prefer commenters to keep the language a little cleaner, as this is a family blog.

Oh, and I never rock unless I'm in a rocking chair. "Rockin'" is something I never want to do. "Swingin'" is better, except without the sexual connotations. When I hear someone talking about how librarians should "rock," I picture teenage boys making that little devil sign with their hands and bobbing their heads to Motley Crue. Definitely not something I want to be a part of.

I want to be the librarian equivalent of Bach or Mozart or perhaps even Mahler, not of Motley Crue.

Anonymous said...

I want to be the librarian equivalent of Spinal Tap.

soren faust

Anonymous said...

Desperation is never cool - don't they know that?

Anonymous said...

I agree, librarians really need to rock. Like Sonic Youth, or Stravinsky. (or like Olivier Messaiaen...who?)

Go Babeee!

Sure are an anal retentive bunch. Take an enema!

Anonymous said...

Retire? Say it ain't so. Anyhow, I know there will always be some great evil that needs some satire, so you will always have work. And as much as I am for (the myriad forms of sexual expression conveyed by the use of a certain word starting with "f" and rhyming with "trucking."), (referring to a previous commenter), I don't think doing it in the library will make me cool, no matter what the porn pervs think.

So, when are the bumper stickers coming out?

burlapwax said...

I really think she's serious about this post...I thought the quoted "Second Life" phrase was an obvious tipping-of-the-witty-hand gesture, but after a very quick browse of her post history, I think she really may be that clueless.

That said, librarians do rock -- random geological history exhibit linkage [ducks]

Library Mistress said...

I often read articles that state we should change our job titles because "librarian" sounds boring. But that is what I am! And I can't help people who don't appreciate a librarian's work.
P.S. I really try to be a rocking, cool, innovative librarian, but sometimes I have enough of it. Where have the contemplative days in the scriptorium gone? ;-)

Anonymous said...

I also think she was dead serious about how libraries need to rock. I'm not sure what that even means and I listen to a lot of noisy, alternative music. I am tired of these empty "call-to-arms" pleas. I can only conclude that people just make up stuff to sound kewl.

Oh, take that back, anon! I love Sonic Youth and I don't want libraries to be associated with them!

AL said...

I'm sure she was serious, but I couldn't help but laughing when I read the post. That sort of unintentional humor helps get me through the day.

Anonymous said...

Someone posed the same question on her blog that I had when I read her manifesto: What do you mean by rock?

Funny stuff!

William E. Dudley said...
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William E. Dudley said...
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