10 Things the Movie, The Public Got Right About Libraries
I just got the chance to watch the movie, The Public, written and directed by Emilio Estevez. It’s a heartwarming and all true story about what libraries face in today’s society. And although I plan on writing up a review in the future, I was really happy to see 10 things the movie, The Public got right about libraries. If you’re not aware of the story – during a cold front in Cincinnati, a number of homeless men decide to stage a peaceful protest in the public library because there aren’t enough shelters for everyone in the city when the temperatures plummet below zero. Take a look at the trailer below.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN0iLUj64zs” title=”The Public Official Trailer”]
Although not a true story, the depiction of libraries and librarians is accurate. Here are 10 Things the Movie, The Public Got Right About Libraries.
- People wait outside the doors for the library to open
Our regulars are outside the doors waiting for us to open and this doesn’t always mean just the transient population. - The staff know patrons by name
My staff is amazing at not only knowing the name of many of our patrons but also their reading preferences and will let you know when a new title by your favorite author is available. - Some libraries have security guards on staff
Depending on the location and issues they’ve had in the past, some libraries will employ security guards to help keep the staff and library safe. - Libraries are one of the last free, public places that people can visit without the expectation to purchase anything
You don’t have to buy a cup of coffee or frequent the stores in the mall. When you’re at the library, you can just sit and be for as long as you want. Provided you aren’t interfering with other patrons safety and leave when the library closes. - Homelessness, addiction, and mental illness are things librarians deal with on a daily basis
See above. If you’re following the Code of Conduct and not interfering with another patron’s experience, you can stay all day long. - Public librarians are acting more often like social workers unless they’re lucky enough to have a social worker working in the building
Public library staff will often see patrons that are in need of social services. More and more are learning the ins and outs of these programs, getting to know staff and doing their very best to offer patrons these support systems when they can. Some larger libraries, are starting to create offices for social workers to have in the library where patrons need them. - You never know what a patron will ask at the reference desk (all the questions asked in the movie were real reference questions)
You honestly will never know what kind of questions you get at the reference desk. And not all are easy to answer! Check out this reference interaction I had a few years ago. - Librarians don’t actually spend all day reading
I don’t know how many times people have remarked to me, “Oh, I’d love a job where I could sit around and read all day.” I’d love to respond, “So would I.” But the reality is librarians are far too busy to sit and read all day – they’re checking books in and out, putting items away, processing new titles, and running multi-million dollar organizations. - Library books get defaced and stolen on a regular basis
Unfortunately, books do get defaced, often when someone doesn’t agree with the content. Other times, people are jotting their own thoughts in the white space. And even more often are the older patrons who read large print and will leave their own little mark in the book so they know whether or not they read that title. Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either until I saw it with my own eyes! - Librarians aren’t in it for the money, so many are librarians trying to make a positive difference in their communities
You must earn your Master’s Degree in Information and Library Science to be considered a librarian. But even with an advanced degree, you don’t usually get paid very well as a librarian. But, we do what we do because we want to make a positive difference in our community, we value what libraries stand for, and we just like what we do.
