Librarians are Kind of Like Lady Gaga

Librarians are fun. Even superstars know this. In a recent article, Lady Gaga calls herself a librarian of glam culture and she says it like it's a good thing! Granted, cataloguing makes my brain melt, and telling people where the bathroom is doesn't exactly stimulate those little grey cells. But Lady Gaga knows where it's at.

There's something about preserving history, or having access to knowledge, or interacting with people as an intermediary between their needs and the ever-expanding world of information... that is downright glamorous, when you think about it.

However, as the Annoyed Librarian pointed out, Lady Gaga is not a librarian. The woman can sing, but she does not have an MLS degree. She doesn't even wear comfortable shoes. In fact, she kind of strikes me as the kind of gal that would leave a book face-down and open on a table in lieu of a bookmark. *Shudder*. Librarian or not, Lady Gaga does ask readers, "Where are your library cards?" and that is definitely a statement I can get behind.

Besides, sometimes librarians are Lady Gaga: Librarians do Gaga. (Or maybe we're just as deluded as she is.) I don't even need 6 years of post-secondary schooling to be Lady Gaga. In fact, all I need is this instructional video and a little bit of rhythm, and voilà! "Bad Romance" becomes "Bad Patrons":

I want your money, I want your due fees,

You want our everything, as long as it’s free,

I want your loans, loans loans loans

I want your loans.

Je veux tes livres et je veux tes romans

I want you banned, banned, patrons…

It's not every career that makes you feel like a star. Like celebrities, we have to generate the right kind of publicity, garner support, and send out positive messages. I'm glad that librarianship offers a chance to be creative and quirky, all while asking the age-old question: Where your library card at?

Thanks to The Daring Librarian for the Gaga photo, and to Love and Lables for the shoe shot.