Tattooed Librarians & Archivists
Hidden by white gloves, camouflaged by cardigans, or somewhere above sensible shoes is the tattooed librarian, archivist, or curator. Submit your ink today!
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I’m a library technician at a Bay Area high school in California. I’ve got a paraprofessional library technology certificate and am in my second year of MLIS coursework at San Jose State. Also a huge fan of The Smiths, the source of the quote, natch, this tattoo was my 31st birthday present to myself in late 2012. Artwork by Dan Gilsdorf at Tattoo 13 in Oakland.
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I’m currently attending library school through UW-Milwaukee. I have a total of six tattoos, most of them literary (I was an English major as an undergrad), but my biggest and most colorful tat is an ode to Flannery O’Connor on my left forearm. Work done by Keith at Skinprints in Eau Claire, WI - he loves peacock feathers, and draws them beautifully.
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I’m a Librarian Assistant in a public library system in suburban Atlanta. I researched tattoos and tattoo artist for about 3 years before I got one. This piece of art was done by Lord Yatta.
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Emerging Technologies Librarian
Academic Library
New York City
(My first and currently only tattoo, though it may not stay that way. I got it my first month of library school, 2 years ago, as sort of “I am starting this HUGE thing”.
For the uninitiated, it’s the City Watch Badge of Sir Samuel Vimes, Duke of Ankh, modeled off the Kidby illustration on my copy of Terry Pratchett’s ‘Night Watch’. Yes, I am that big of a Discworld fangirl. :p )
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Hi there,
I am a high school librarian and library department chair at a college prep K-12 school in southern California. I have recently begun getting tattooed now that I’m in my mid-40s! I have three so far, on my upper arms - a hamsa, a hoopoe bird with my Hebrew name Tzipora (bird) and my latest piece, pictured below. I asked my artist to create a superhero librarian and gave him a few references, including the cover of “This Book is Overdue” and a picture of 1940s comic book hero Mary Marvel. This is the result. I’m happy with her and can’t wait to get more…
Michelle
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Position title: New archives grad currently working tech support to pay the bills.
Type of repository: I’ve had a bit of experience interning at academic archives and special collections, a bit of experience on research projects. Ideally I’d like to work in archives and special collections, but I’m also interested in science/medical librarianship (and just about everything else).
Location: Boston, MA
My Tattoos:
This was my undergraduate graduation present to myself. The blue lotus on my back represents the ephemeral and illusive nature of existence. Yes, this was during my pretentious writer hipster phase. Photo courtesy of my good friend AJ Kane. Additional context here.
I got this before I went to library school to remind me that no matter how dark and how lost I get, I can always find my way back home. These little symbols are on white paint on the roads in Portland to show bicycle routes. No matter how dark it was outside or no matter how turned around I got, if I saw them on the road, I would eventually find my way home. Photo courtesy of my shaky hands and a digital camera my uncle got me one Christmas. Additional context here.
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Title: digital library architect
Type of repository: Hydra Project
Location: Pennsyltucky
Background information about your tattoo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raven_(mythology)#Raven_steals_the_sun
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Hey all. Just to get the ball rolling on this space, I would like to share some thoughts about how to go about submitting photos in a way that you feel comfortable.
Depending on the institution that you work in you may feel that posting to this blog would be chancy due to anti-tattoo policies or corporate image standards. If that is the case feel free to post only closeups of your work to preserve your anonymity. I would also be happy to have submissions emailed to me if you do not want to post from an account tied to your name. If that’s the case, DM me for contact info.
Another concern that I saw on feedback seemed to mirror how I generally feel about posting photographs of my ink online - there can be a fear that showing what you have increases the risk that someone might rip it off. If that is a concern I would recommend being photographed from a distance that allows viewers to get an idea of what your style is while not giving such a close up view that the details of the piece are easily duplicated. Sometimes the real beauty in tattoo photography is seeing the overall effect that the work has on someone’s look rather than the execution of any one design.
I hope to hear from you soon, and, more importantly, see what you have to show!
