Are Librarians Cat People?

Abstract

If we have a lot of stereotypes about our own library professions, owning a cat is one of the most common clichés. Who hasn't seen this representation of librarians with a bun, a cardigan, glasses and cats?

Starting from this very broad statement, we wondered whether there is a connection between being a librarian and owning/loving cats: Is there a gender bias considering there are more female librarians than male librarians? Is there a social factor or a group-think phenomenon that would explain that librarians might own more cats than the average?

To answer these questions, we designed and implemented a large-scale survey (the first step in a research project) addressed to library professionals in France. On one hand, this study aims to assess whether there is indeed a disproportionate over representation of cat owners among librarians. On the other hand, it aims to analyse the gap of the actual representation in regards to clichés and to offer clues to ensure a better understanding. Also, to address these questions, we will base the study on interdisciplinary research literature to offer a wider understanding by using different approaches such as psychology, sociology or animal studies.