Rhode Island Library Association Creates 'Tattooed Librarians' Calendar To Raise Money

by UInterviewOctober 15, 2013, 12:00 amNews >

The Rhode Island Library Association (RILA) is selling a 2014 calendar, ‘Tattooed Librarians of the Ocean State,’ featuring tattooed librarians to raise money for local libraries.

The RILA is a nonprofit that strives to promote the importance of librarians and libraries – it is the Rhode Island branch of the American Library Association. The calendar features twelve different librarians and library workers, each showing off their tattoos. The hope is that, by photographing different library employees with different jobs, the calendar will open up people’s view of what kind of work goes into the running of a library.

The RILA was inspired by a similar calendar made by the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) last year, ‘Tattooed Youth Librarians of Massachusetts Calendar.’

“Libraries are unique as they simultaneously foster the preservation of histories and traditions, while fighting censorship and fostering cutting-edge learning environments. Likewise, tattoos can also represent the preservation of history and resistance of the norm,” said RILA Public Relations Committee co-chair Emily Grace Mehrer.

The calendars are available for purchase on RILA’s official website. For Rhode Islanders who wish to pick up a calendar at their local library, calendars are $12. For shipment anywhere else, calendars are $15.

“RILA is committed to ensuring that libraries remain relevant in the digital age and will be here for our patrions when they need us most. It’s a good cause! And, if this calendar breaks a few stereotypes or sparks some conversations about libraries in the process, then we’ve done our job,” said RILA President Jenifer Bond.