Milica Matijević
Biblioteka „Dimitrije Tucović”, Lazarevac
milica.biblioteka@gmail.com

Violeta Đorđević
Biblioteka grada Beograda
violeta_djordjevic@yahoo.com

doi: 10.19090/cit.2017.31.13-20
No. 31 (November 2017), p. 13-20

Libraries and Librarians in Artistic and Popular Literature

Summary

This paper analyses the depiction of libraries and librarians in contemporary Serbian literature. Although rarely used as a motif in works of Serbian authors, they are still present, in both children’s literature and different literary genres for adults. The paper examines the typical stereotypes upon which the image of libraries and librarians is generated. Furthermore, it reveals some new, contemporary ones, which have been gradually replacing those from previous times. By presenting some works of literature, we are investigating the role of literature in creating a public image of libraries and librarians, as well as the extent to which contemporary Serbian literature contributes to the existing stereotypes or opposes them. Based on the works listed in this paper, through which we observe the image of libraries and librarians, it is difficult to determine the exact prevalence of either positive or negative stereotypes. However, it could be said that in children’s literature there is a visible tendency of strengthening the positive stereotypes, while in literature for adults, the negative stereotypes are still widely used. The paper reviews the extent to which librarians are aware of prevailing image of themselves and their profession in contemporary Serbian artistic and popular literature. In it, librarians and libraries are presented as literary heroes mostly in the works by authors who were, or still are, librarians. This phenomenon could be explained as their attempt to shed light upon librarianship as a profession. Librarians–writers are those who most often bring the profession of a librarian into literary works. They make librarians literary characters and influence the creation and breaking down of both positive and negative stereotypes.

Keywords:

libraries, librarians, stereotypes, literature, heroes, books

Submitted: 2nd September 2017
Correction to the manuscript: 23rd September 2017
Accepted for publication: 29th September 2017.

Libraries and Librarians in Artistic and Popular Literature by Milica Matijević i Violeta Đorđević is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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