The Oxford English Dictionary, the definitive dictionary of the English language, gives the following definition of librarian:
1. A scribe, copyist. Obs.
2. The keeper or custodian of a library. (This word has supplanted the older library-keeper.)
3. A dealer in books. Obs. rare1.
Hence
librarianess, a female librarian;
librarianship, the office or work of a librarian.
Do I really do any of this? Not really! Sometimes I wonder if I am really a librarian! So what am I? The business card says Head of Reference -- (recently changed to Director).
Hmm... let me see what OED says for director:
- 1. a. One who or that which directs, rules, or guides; a guide, a conductor; ‘one that has authority over others; a superintendent; one that has the general management of a design or work’ (J.). director-general, a chief or supreme director, having under him directors or managers of departments.
b. spec. A member of a board appointed to direct or manage the affairs of a commercial corporation or company.
c. spec. A member of the French Directory of 1795-9: see DIRECTORY n. 6.
1798 CANNING Elegy xiii. in Anti-Jacobin (1852) 134 The French Directors Have thought the point so knotty. 1837 Penny Cycl. IX. 15/1 The executive power was entrusted to five directors..The directors had the management of the military force, of the finances, and of the home and foreign departments.
d. Eccl. (chiefly in R.C. Ch.) An ecclesiastic holding the position of spiritual adviser to some particular person or society.
e. Mus. = DIRECT n. 2. Obs.
f. A small letter inserted by the scribe for the direction of the illuminator in the space left for an illuminated initial.
g. One who directs a film or play, etc. (see DIRECT v. 5c). orig. U.S.
- 2. The dedicator of a book or the like. Obs.
- 3. a. One who or that which causes something to take a particular direction.
- b. One who aims a missile. Obs. rare.
- c. Surg. A hollow or grooved instrument for directing the course of a knife or scissors in making an incision.
- d. ‘A metallic rod in a non-conducting handle connected with one pole of a galvanic battery, for the purpose of transmitting the current to a part of the body.’ Syd. Soc. Lex. 1883.
- e. An apparatus for directing a torpedo.
- f. Perspective. (See quots.)
- g. Geom. = director circle: see below and cf. DIRECTRIX 2b.
- 4. attrib. and Comb. director-circle (of a conic), the locus of intersection of tangents at right angles to each other; so also director-sphere (of a surface of the second degree); director-plane, a fixed plane used in describing a surface, analogous to the line called a DIRECTRIX; director-tube (= sense 3e).
Well we can forget 2,3, and 4!
1.a. pretty much describes it though:
1. a. One who or that which directs, rules, or guides; a guide, a conductor; ‘one that has authority over others; a superintendent; one that has the general management of a design or work’ (J.).
director-general, a chief or supreme director, having under him directors or managers of departments.
I like that word "rules" though I am sure reffies would yelp. Let us stick therefore with directs or guides. I like it as an action word so lets look a the good old OED again for "direct". Couple of choices here --
nope, not
A. 1. trans. To write (something) directly or specially to a person, or for his special perusal; to address.
a. To dedicate (a treatise) to. Obs.
Cound be
2. a. To address (spoken words) to any one; to utter (speech) so that it may directly reach a person. arch. . Though that says anyone -- so I could direct my dogs!
I like
b. To keep in right order; to regulate, control, govern the actions of. Sort of librarinish too! (on the QT to non-librarians -- librarians love to have things in order!) but if this is what I do all day then my office wouldn't be a mess!
Nope.
AHA!-- there it is:
5. a. trans. To regulate the course of; to guide, conduct, lead; to guide with advice, to advise.
That is what I do all day -- I don't always have control but I can guide, conduct and lead.
Want to play with the OED? Go to:
http://dictionary.oed.com/
