Pervasive Myth or Pop Culture Relic? College Students' Experience of the Librarian Stereotype

This study explores the wider institutional discourse from which stereotypes of librarians emerge. The findings shed light on the discursive practices (e.g. the methods, the rituals, and the interactions) that take place between students and library staff, and how these inform the student's perspective and experience of the librarian stereotype. This study utilizes the theoretical framework presented by Radford and Radford's study entitled "Libraries, Librarians, and the Discourse of Fear" published in 2001 which argued that it is within this discourse that negative stereotypes of the librarian emerge. The students strongly expressed a fear of the library environment and atmosphere, and being intimidated by a librarian's knowledge but collectively the students did not report being scared of librarians. Rather, they viewed librarians as meek and feeble - which, despite being a negative stereotype, is not the dominant one that persists in popular culture.published or submitted for publicationis peer reviewe