Hip to be square

In honour of the 22nd annual Australian and New Zealand Theological Library Association conference, being held later this week at Trinity College, Melbourne University, I decided it was time to update my blog with a library related posting. Read on if you feel so inclined. As this recent article in the New York Times reveals, the up and coming generation of librarians are anything but dowdy, humourless, quiet, and bookish. Those of you who know and socialise with me outside of a work context will be aware that whilst those last two adjectives apply to me, librarianship also appeals to those who have a passion for knowledge, technology, culture, and the betterment of society, serving their fellow man or woman, as the case may be. The profession often attracts idealistic types who want to use their work to make a difference in the world, which is to be commended. I may not share the same world view as some of my peers, but find it heartening to read that not all of my generation regard our work as a means to an end, like a Monopoly game, where he or she who gets the most resources wins.