They are a race apart, untrammelled by false distinctions of creed,
color, or
national origin. Big and small, male and female, young and old, they
share a sense of dedication.
I have met many splendid librarians, but also a fair number who fall
somewhat outside, even considerably outside, the enchanted kingdom
imagined here. Librarians are much like booksellers, who in turn are
much like bankers and short-order cooks, some are wonderful, others
less so, and some are simply frightful.
One also needs to take into account national tendencies. In some
countries the primary job of the librarian is to keep the reader at
bay; in others, they are there to advance learning, even at the price
of letting readers see what they want to see. The Anglo-Saxon tradition
is one of service; the French tradition is different; and the
Scandinavian different again. My limited experience of North America
suggest that variety thrives there: some libraries welcome readers with
open arms, others with arms.