Inspired, in part, by my reaction to a classmate’s tweet, highlighting the effectiveness of a recent campaign to raise funds for the Rhode Island Library Association, this paper aims to examine the ways in which female librarian stereotypes have served a purpose in maintaining the status quo in the public library, often to the detriment of the workforce. While I propose reviewing papers from journals and on-line articles on the subject of women working in public library service and the “feminization” of the space, I also want to look at recent publications that explore the subject of women in the workplace and gender stereotypes and consider how points raised in these publications may pertain to librarians. In responding to what might be done to alter outmoded perceptions of the profession I plan to review recent surveys that point to the popularity of the library and the librarian within the community and look at how librarians can and are harnessing this support to improve the status of the profession.
Rachel O'Neill