The author was born in 1943, in the city of Bloais, France. Retired librarian, he directed the Printing Department of the National Library of France and the Public Information Library of the Georges Pompidou Center. Between 1997 and 2003, he chaired the Superior Council of French Libraries. He is currently dedicated to the history of writing.
"In this book, the author pays tribute to the librarian. The importance of this professional is revealed in several situations: by assisting the lost reader in a stunning inphosphere; in the clash between communication and preservation, considering that the satiety of the reader puts at risk the very integrity of the object read or consumed; as an anonymous subject, destined to serve without being seen and to be welcomed without being noticed. All this because the librarian is immersed in a very particular world, in an indispensable place, where knowledge decants." (DEAECTO; MARTINS FILHO, 2020DEAECTO, M. M.; MARTINS FILHO, P. Quarta capa - apresentação. In: MELOT, Michel. A sabedoria do bibliotecário. Trad. Geraldo Gerson de Souza. Cotia, SP: Ateliê Editorial; São Paulo: Edições SESC SP, 2020. 147 p. ISBN 978-85-7480-829-1. (Coleção Bibliofilia; v.3).).
The work is divided into seven (07) chapters, distributed to be:
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Like a Sailor in the ocean;
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Happy incompleteness;
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The prodigious fold;
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The place of the Liames;
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Latitudes;
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Planetoteca;
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Did you find what you were looking for?
In chapter I, entitled "Like a Sailor in the ocean...", the author states that: "The figure of the crazy sage opposes that of the wise librarian. Why would the librarian be wise? Knowing that he will never be wise, for when opening a book, all the other will remain closed and he, librarian, knows that he will never be able to open all the books. The librarian loves the books as the sailor loves the sea." (MERLOT, 2020)
Following, in chapter II on "The happy incompleteness", the survival of the librarian's figure is pointed out, and his image to strengthen the status of libraries, where imaginatively some people, according to the author, predestined the death of the librarian, emphasizing that he will be suffocated under an "avalanche of printed papers, produced by editions from around the world." But we know that this is not true, because the reality of the librarian's survival is different. They will persist for a long time yet. In this chapter is commented the relationship of the library with the reader, and its function of environment of pertinence.
In chapter III highlighted on "The prodigious fold", it concerns the survival of the book, and its meaning to people and especially to librarians and libraries, It is brought an initial excerpt talking about the disappearance of the book, but this the librarian knows that will never happen.
"The place of the liames" configured as chapter IV, comments on the collections of libraries, practically on the collections of libraries in the world, showing the link of these collections and collections, with the librarian.
In chapter V - "Latitudes", the author comments that in reality "libraries have a history and a geography". He states that there is a "geopolitics" of libraries, and that this influences both the Eastern and Western worlds, promoting different types of libraries. It also focuses on the services developed by these libraries.
In chapter VI on the “Planetoteca”, Melot makes an analogy of the library with other objects, and even other barbaric forms of this analogy in commercial points. It also makes a brief analogy with other areas of knowledge, and finally says that the: "the library is a microcosm: it models the world. This function is, let us say, largely magical, for nothing leads us to believe that everything we keep will remain useful. The whole world is enclosing in it in the most compact way possible." The author concludes by commenting that "this is how our world has become a vast 'planetoteca'." (MERLOT, 2020).
In chapter VII - "Did you find what you were looking for?", the last of the work, Merlot again to finish, interprets with this title in his reading, the intrinsic relationship between the librarian, the library and the reader. Merlot also points out, the name of other authors and librarians he has known, and referencing these well-known librarians and authors, that: "no more concentrations will be made in their tombs, but thousands of readers will attend their libraries. They hadn't been discreet, maybe they wouldn't have been such good librarians. That's why you call the librarian a wise man." (MERLOT, 2020).
The book exalts the librarian's doing, points out the librarian's mission and what he is as a professional. It is shown how much censorship is a variant of the librarian as to the use of the library, and what it represents for society. The author contemplated the whole path of a library and the making of the librarian, still without saying the reader, an important piece for the existence of the library.
Here I leave my observations I made about the book, and perhaps other readers can present a new interpretation on the revision of the chapters I commented on, from another point of view.
The book is made in material that reminds that it is glued to a hardcover, on a hardcover that permeates to protect its contents.
Geraldo Gerson de Souza contributes to the translation being a faithful and delicate reading of the work. Pliny Martins Filho and Marisa Midori Deaecto, editors who directed the collection, present us with this magnificent translation about the knowledge of the librarian.
The book is aimed at librarians, library students and interested in this area that involves other professionals.
REFERÊNCIA
- DEAECTO, M. M.; MARTINS FILHO, P. Quarta capa - apresentação. In: MELOT, Michel. A sabedoria do bibliotecário. Trad. Geraldo Gerson de Souza. Cotia, SP: Ateliê Editorial; São Paulo: Edições SESC SP, 2020. 147 p. ISBN 978-85-7480-829-1. (Coleção Bibliofilia; v.3).
- MELOT, Michel. A sabedoria do bibliotecário. Trad. Geraldo Gerson de Souza. Cotia, SP: Ateliê Editorial; São Paulo: Edições SESC SP, 2020. 147 p. ISBN 978-85-7480-829-1. (Coleção Bibliofilia; v.3).
- Veja também ao vídeo sobre a obra com os editores da Coleção Bibliofilia https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=5UwAsLwjrWE&feature=emb_logo
» https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=5UwAsLwjrWE&feature=emb_logo
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
18 Sept 2023 -
Date of issue
2020
History
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Received
01 Nov 2020 -
Accepted
26 Nov 2020 -
Published
26 Nov 2020
