A librarian is a librarian is a librarian

There are all kinds of librarians.

There are librarians who work for the government. For the military. For businesses. For colleges. For religious institutions.

There are law librarians. Music librarians. Art librarians. Film librarians. Medical librarians.

There are those who work in cataloging. Technical services. Circulation. Shelving. Reference. Archivists. Interlibrary loan. Library accessibility.

And many, many more types of libraries and library career paths.

And yet, whenever I'm at a conference, talking with a vendor or someone who has just found out that I'm a librarian, I always get asked the same question: "School or public?"

When I answer that I'm neither, that I am in fact, a synagogue librarian, I get a look as if I've said I'm a librarian on the planet Neptune.

I'm used to explaining what I do over and over and over (and if you'd like to know, you can read more about a typical day in my library here.) But here's when it gets frustrating. When I see awards or grants limited to certain kinds of libraries or librarians and restricted to others. I wish that me, my patrons and my library were eligible just like all the other libraries and librarians out there.

I value all kinds of libraries, librarians and library employees. I hope you do too.

Looking for guest bloggers

Wizards Wireless is starting a new series of profiles highlighting wonderful independent bookstores and terrific libraries. I'm a big fan of both and I'm always looking for new ones to visit and to tell people about. If you have a favorite, and you're willing to write a guest post about it, I'd love to feature it on my blog.

Here's what I'm looking for:

• Independent bookstores (locally owned) that either specialize in children's books or have large children's book sections.
  
• Libraries with wonderful children's departments. It can either be a specific branch or a large system. It can be a new library, a remodeled library or one that's been around forever.
  
• What do you like about the library or bookstore? What do they do well? What impresses you? Do you like their website? If you've been there several times, why do you keep coming back?
  

The libraries and bookstores can be located anywhere in the world, as long as they focus on children's books. They can be places you've visited once or places you go every week.

I have lots of bookstore resources posted on the sidebar and a long list of independent bookstores. For an example of a bookstore profile, here's one I just posted about Powells in Portland, Oregon.

If you'd be willing to write a guest post, you can e-mail me at wizardwireless [at] gmail [dot] com or leave a note in the comments.

Beautiful libraries

Take a look at amazing pictures of extraordinary libraries from around the world on the Curious Expeditions website. There are almost 100 libraries pictured, and each one is unique and beautiful.

My favorite picture is shown above. Even though it's pretty impossible to choose just one... I fell in love with the library of the Admont Abbey in Austria.

Thanks to Another Kick Butt Librarian for the link.

And for me, any library that lets me check out books is beautiful.