Why it matters: Librarians are no longer the shushing protectors of dusty book collections — they're civic leaders, de facto social workers and increasingly the target of public scorn.

Traditional shushing isn't happening these days at the Main Library, with the clattering of rock 'n' roll pinball machines ...

Stamberg said Malesky was not the stereotypical librarian gently shushing the noisy. She had a big personality — so much so that PBS created a fictional movie about her high school years called ...

Stamberg said Malesky was not the stereotypical librarian gently shushing the noisy. She had a big personality — so-much-so that PBS created a fictional movie about her high school years called ...