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H
AVING swiftly dispatched our last intern for crimes against spelling, Mediawatching is in
hot water again for crimes against punctuation.
The dreaded grocer’s (grocers’?, grocers?) apostrophe found its way on to the pages of last month’s column. Normally you do not get many these to the pound, but it turns out there was an additional one on page 35. There was clearly an issue somewhere – I suspect one final spiteful act of betrayal from the outgoing intern. “Thanks” to Juliet Leeves, who suggests being more ruthless next time, and Albion Poe – who correctly points out that “the incorrect use of ‘it’s’ is really annoying”. Mediawatching couldn’t agree more, its infuriating!
Apologies out of the way for this issue (but do keep an eye out for our new regular feature in future) and we head to South Africa for our next item. Social media marketing is always a tricky thing to get right – you have to be on the right side of friendly banter without straying into the realms of completely unacceptable behaviour. Unfortunately for Elijah Mhlanga, spokesperson for South Africa’s Department for Basic Education he stepped over that mark in a series of Tweets promoting reading for pleasure.
Rather than produce some evidence to back-up the power of reading, he Tweeted some pictures of semi-clothed women and men, enjoying a good book (minds out of the gutter please). His bid to make reading “sexy” didn’t go down too well and he was forced into a swift apology.
His follow up Tweet read: “I have noted that one image in particular may have offended sensitive viewers. This however, was not the intention and we strongly reject any view to that effect. To those I disappointed and indeed those of you who are offended by the use of the images I apologize [sic].” Anyone interested in seeing the original Tweets can visit
https://bit.ly/2OUxbGs. If naked flesh is not your thing, then look away again because we have more on offer. This time it is the time-honoured tradition of a charity calendar. This one comes from Vermont, USA, and features local authors posing “in various states of tasteful and artistically rendered
October-November 2019
implied nudity”. Having seen the images, Mediawatching can confirm that there are a variety of strategically placed props in place to ensure the authors’ modesty is protected. The calendars are on sale for $20 each at Varnum Memorial Library and proceeds will go towards running costs. Read the full story at https://bit. ly/2BlT0Xf.
Next we move to the BBC’s flagship reality programme The Apprentice. Pitting 16 wannabe entrepreneurs against each other in a race to become Lord Sugar’s next business partner. Normally this entails a series of challenges such as milking a cow on a speedboat while simultaneously trying to create and sell a new flavour of cup-a-soup to busy bankers in Canary Wharf. But before we dismiss it – there is a librarian taking part this year, so perhaps we are in for series of well-researched, evidence- based decision making. Nineteen year-old Lottie Lion – or Lottie the Librarian, as she is dubbed in The Independent, says she is “very cut throat”. And further investigation into Lottie’s Instagram account (this time in the Mirror at
https://bit.ly/2oNLe5O) shows that she “secretly boasts a millionarie’s lifestyle”. The Mirror goes on to reveal: “Lottie, a librarian, owns a countryside elite ladies’ members club, which she designed to bring isolated women together through outings such as equestrian events.”
Delving further into Lottie’s background, there is very little additional information about her librarianship journey. Thanks to Sue Goodman for the initial tip off, which came from a Giles Coren column in The Times, which is behind a paywall
Lottie Lion
here
https://bit.ly/2Bg62FX. Finally, we know that librarianship is not a competition – but if it was, where would you come? While it may be unfair to rank real-life librarians, we have no reluctance when it comes to ranking fictional ones, so thanks to
LitHub.com for obliging – cue Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love.
And in at 50, we have Mary Hatch from It’s a Wonderful Life. Dropping down 10 places is Helena Bonham Carter in Rufus Wainwright’s music video for Out of the Game (filmed in the Library of Zoological Society of London). And at number one? You will have to visit
https://lithub.com/50-fictional- librarians-ranked to find out. IP
Helena Bonham Carter INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 57
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