From a Teton County Public Library press release:
They have more cardholders than VISA, more items than FedEx and more outlets than McDonald's. Meet America's librarians when Teton County Library shows, "The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians through Film," followed by a Q&A with Film Director and Librarian Ann Seidl.
Watch how this full-length documentary weaves together the work and lives of librarians - in schools, prisons and public libraries -- with their entertaining portrayals in American movies.
The library will present a film screening and director Q&A, "Hollywood Librarian," from 6-8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 9 in the Ordway Auditorium. Festive snacks will be provided by Friends of the Teton County Library. The evening is free and open to the public.
American film contains hundreds of examples of librarians and libraries on screen -- some positive, some negative, some laughable and some dead wrong -- according to Seidl. While films such as "Sophie's Choice," "Philadelphia" and "It's a Wonderful Life" serve up negative stereotypes, other films, such as "Lorenzo's Oil" and "The Shawshank Redemption," portray librarians as competent and professional.
"Ann Seidl's 'The Hollywood Librarian' is an engaging, often humorous look at the disparity between the simplistic depictions of bun-wearing, finger-shushing, spinster librarians served up in Hollywood feature films and the far more complex reality of today's savvy information navigators -- of both genders, with or without tattoos and/or piercings," writes Randy
Pitman, Publisher and Editor of Video Librarian Magazine.
"The Hollywood Librarian" (96 min.) combines movie clips of cinematic librarians with dozens of interviews with real librarians, who touch on serious themes, including censorship, intellectual freedom, children and librarians, pay equity and more. The film has been shown in many world
cities including Edinburgh, Scotland; Melbourne, Australia; Geneva, Switzerland and Auckland, New Zealand since its June 2007 premiere in Washington, D.C.
Seidl, who wrote the film's screenplay in 2003, has a master's degree in library and information services from the University of Denver. She is a library consultant and the owner and principal of a library consulting business.
Before becoming a librarian, she worked as a voice-over actor for film and television.
FMI: Oona Doherty at 733-2164 ext. 135.
