The stereotypical librarian sits sternly at the reference desk, hair tied-back tightly in a bun and peers out over spectacles perched halfway down her nose at patrons making too much noise.
A group of local librarians, however, teamed up this weekend to put that stereotype to rest -- and had quite a bit of fun doing it.
Meet the Delaware Diamonds Book Cart Drill Team, a collective of fun-loving librarians who spun, twirled, and pinwheeled their way to Sunday's American Library Association Book Cart Drill Team World Championships in Chicago.
The team failed to place in this year's competition, but their routine, inspired by the ascension of the First State's Joe Biden to the vice-presidency, was a crowd favorite in the heart of Obama-land.
For the uninitiated, library book cart precision drill teams are groups of librarians who push book carts in formation to music, like synchronized swimming. The carts are decorated (this year as the presidential motorcade) and the librarians are in costume (as secret service agents).
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Delaware Diamonds Members Pat Bartoshesky, Highlands Elementary School Kay Bowes, Brandywine Hundred Library Terri Jones, Hockessin Library Annie Norman, Delaware Div. of Libraries Elisabeth Simmons, Kirkwood Highway Library Beth Stevens, Newark Library Pam Stevens, Woodlawn Library Despina Wilson, Delaware Div. of Libraries Beth Borene, Woodlawn Library Susan Gooden, Concord High School Library Patty Langley, Delaware Div. of Libraries Steve Newton, Delaware Division of Libraries Sherry Pitman, Del. Tech and Hockessin Library Hilary Welliver, Kent County Library |
They're coordinated, ambidextrous, march in all directions, and know the Dewey Decimal System.
"People seem to really love it," said Terri Jones, Youth Services librarian at the Hockessin Library. "The reaction of a lot of people when they see us perform is priceless."
Jones is a Diamonds' founding member and was on the team that took home a bronze book cart for its third place finish in 2007. There, the team performed to a "Moulin Rouge" version of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," scoring big with the judges when one member walked down a line of book carts simulating a catwalk.
The performances are not limited to competitions. The team also participates in parades and festivals up and down the state, most recently at New Castle's Separation Day Celebration on June 13.
For Brandywine Hundred Children's Librarian Kay Bowes, those exhibitions are what the Diamonds are about.
"They help show people that libraries are vital places with vibrant people," she said.
Bowes joined the team last year, knee replacement surgery forced her to sit out the team's inaugural year in 2007.
"Once I was mobile again, I joined," she said. "I didn't have any dance or musical experience, I just thought it sounded like fun."
Pat Bartoshesky, a librarian at Highlands Elementary School, said the creative process is her favorite thing -- collaborating to think up performance themes, costumes and cart decorations.
Like Bowes, Bartoshesky doesn't have a dance background.
"I wasn't allowed to take dance classes as a child, so maybe there's some frustration there that's finally getting resolved," she quipped.
The team generally practices a few times each month, usually at the Delaware Division of Libraries in Dover, though it has no official affiliation with the state library system. Each of the five members who made the trip to Chicago paid their own way.
"I think it shows people that we're not walking around in skirts and heels with buns in our hair," said Jones. "We like to have some fun too."
