List of librarians in SF: Difference between revisions
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SF fans and writers = bibliophiles; bibliophiles love librarians; and therefore librarians show up disproportionately in SF. Which is interesting because librarianship in real life is | SF fans and writers = bibliophiles; bibliophiles love librarians; and therefore librarians show up disproportionately in SF. Which is interesting because librarianship in real life is [[gendered]] profession, disproportionately female (and gay). | ||
* "Batwoman" | ==Female librarians== | ||
* "The Mummy" feature film, 1999 | * "[[Batwoman]]" | ||
* | * [[Evelyn Carnahan]] in "The Mummy" feature film, 1999 | ||
* [[Cimerone]] in [[The Enchanted Forest Chronicles]] by [[Patricia C. Wrede]] spends a lot of time working in the library and at one point holds the title Head Cook and Librarian. | |||
* [[Jane Fletcher]]. The World Celaeno Chose (Dimsdale: London, 1999) - a librarian plays an important role (although by the time of the plot she is an ex-librarian) | |||
* Fletcher | * [[Lirael]] in [[Garth Nix]]'s [[Old Kingdom Books]]. | ||
* | * seven librarians in [[Ellen Klages]]' short story, "In the House of the Seven Librarians" (''Firebirds Rising'' anthology) | ||
* | * a protagonist in [[Joanna Russ]]'s ''[[The Female Man]]'' | ||
* Joanna Russ' The Female Man | * librarian protagonist and gay black male librarian cohort, in [[Nancy Springer]]'s ''[[Fair Peril ]]''. | ||
* | * a stereotypical shy librarian without social skills in [[Cynthia Ward]]'s short story, "Brass in Pocket" in ''[[New Amazons]]'' edited by [[Margaret Weis]], 2000. | ||
* | |||
* | ==Male and other-gendered librarians== | ||
* | * Rupert Giles in "[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]" (TV series) | ||
* Sean McMullen | * the title character in [[Gill Alderman]]'s ''The Archivist'' | ||
* The gay black male librarian cohort in [[Nancy Springer]]'s ''[[Fair Peril]]'' | |||
* Flynn Carsen iin ''[[The Librarian: Quest for the Spear]]'' (fall 2004) and ''[[The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines]]'' (2006) (linked TV movies) | |||
* Mr. Raven in [[George MacDonald]]'s ''[[Lilith (1895 novel)|Lilith]]'' (1895) (the ghost of Mr. Raven, a librarian, haunts Mr. Vane's library) | |||
* The [[Librarian (Discworld)|Librarian]] of the Unseen University in the [[Discworld series]] who was turned into a orangutan early in the series and refuses to be changed back | |||
* The Master Archivist in "[[If All Men Were Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?]]" by [[Theodore Sturgeon]] on an interestingly-described library-sort-of-planet, is the recipient of this tale which is otherwise not about librarians. The MA -- as an upper-echelon male -- has an attractive female secretary.) | |||
* protagonist in "Paper Cuts Scissors" by [[Holly Black]] (in ''[[The Poison Eaters and Other Stories]]'') | |||
==Unsorted== | |||
* [[Jorge Luis Borges]]. ''The Library of Babel.'' | |||
* [[Keith Donohue]]. ''The Stolen Child'' | |||
* [[Rosemary Edghill]]. ''[[The Sword of Maiden's Tears]]'' | |||
* [[Harlan Ellison]]. "Enter the Fanatic, Stage Center," in ''Gentleman Junkie'' (1961) | |||
* [[Ursula K. Le Guin]] | |||
** [[The Telling]] (2000) (The whole thing is about libraries, really.) | |||
** short story in ''Sea Road'' (not science fiction, but completists may want to read it just because it's by Le Guin) | |||
* [[Laurie J. Marks]]. Librarians, generally offstage, play a crucial role in the [[Elemental Logic series]], particularly in preserving the letter which [[Zanja na'Tarwein]] sends to Emil in ''[[Water Logic]]''. | |||
* [[Sean McMullen]]. ''[[Souls in the Great Machine]]'' | |||
* [[Audrey Niffenegger]]. ''[[The Time Traveler's Wife]]'' | |||
* [[Carlos Ruiz Zafon]]. ''[[Shadow of the Wind]]'' | |||
==Notable non-SFnal librarian works== | |||
* ''Desk Set'' (Katharine Hepburn's character) | |||
* ''The Music Man'' (stage musical and film), featuring Marian, the librarian, who has a whole song devoted to the rhyme of her profession and her name | |||
* ''Party Girl'' the movie and ''Party Girl'' the TV series | |||
==Further reading== | |||
* [http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=10097 LibraryThing discussion thread on librarians in fiction] | |||
* [[The Librarian Hero (WisCon 30 panel)]] | |||
[[Category:Characters by occupation]] | [[Category:Characters by occupation]] | ||
[[Category:Lists of characters]] | |||
[[Category:Character names needed]] | |||
Latest revision as of 17:42, 17 April 2012
SF fans and writers = bibliophiles; bibliophiles love librarians; and therefore librarians show up disproportionately in SF. Which is interesting because librarianship in real life is gendered profession, disproportionately female (and gay).
Female librarians
- "Batwoman"
- Evelyn Carnahan in "The Mummy" feature film, 1999
- Cimerone in The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede spends a lot of time working in the library and at one point holds the title Head Cook and Librarian.
- Jane Fletcher. The World Celaeno Chose (Dimsdale: London, 1999) - a librarian plays an important role (although by the time of the plot she is an ex-librarian)
- Lirael in Garth Nix's Old Kingdom Books.
- seven librarians in Ellen Klages' short story, "In the House of the Seven Librarians" (Firebirds Rising anthology)
- a protagonist in Joanna Russ's The Female Man
- librarian protagonist and gay black male librarian cohort, in Nancy Springer's Fair Peril .
- a stereotypical shy librarian without social skills in Cynthia Ward's short story, "Brass in Pocket" in New Amazons edited by Margaret Weis, 2000.
Male and other-gendered librarians
- Rupert Giles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (TV series)
- the title character in Gill Alderman's The Archivist
- The gay black male librarian cohort in Nancy Springer's Fair Peril
- Flynn Carsen iin The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (fall 2004) and The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines (2006) (linked TV movies)
- Mr. Raven in George MacDonald's Lilith (1895) (the ghost of Mr. Raven, a librarian, haunts Mr. Vane's library)
- The Librarian of the Unseen University in the Discworld series who was turned into a orangutan early in the series and refuses to be changed back
- The Master Archivist in "If All Men Were Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?" by Theodore Sturgeon on an interestingly-described library-sort-of-planet, is the recipient of this tale which is otherwise not about librarians. The MA -- as an upper-echelon male -- has an attractive female secretary.)
- protagonist in "Paper Cuts Scissors" by Holly Black (in The Poison Eaters and Other Stories)
Unsorted
- Jorge Luis Borges. The Library of Babel.
- Keith Donohue. The Stolen Child
- Rosemary Edghill. The Sword of Maiden's Tears
- Harlan Ellison. "Enter the Fanatic, Stage Center," in Gentleman Junkie (1961)
- Ursula K. Le Guin
- The Telling (2000) (The whole thing is about libraries, really.)
- short story in Sea Road (not science fiction, but completists may want to read it just because it's by Le Guin)
- Laurie J. Marks. Librarians, generally offstage, play a crucial role in the Elemental Logic series, particularly in preserving the letter which Zanja na'Tarwein sends to Emil in Water Logic.
- Sean McMullen. Souls in the Great Machine
- Audrey Niffenegger. The Time Traveler's Wife
- Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Shadow of the Wind
Notable non-SFnal librarian works
- Desk Set (Katharine Hepburn's character)
- The Music Man (stage musical and film), featuring Marian, the librarian, who has a whole song devoted to the rhyme of her profession and her name
- Party Girl the movie and Party Girl the TV series