Relations between librarians and romance readers: A Missouri survey.

Abstract

Romance novels have traditionally been derided in academic literature and while recent LIS literature has been supportive of romance, previous articles indicated considerable disdain for the genre. Criticism raised in the literature suggests that romance readers are less educated than other women and that romance novels portray women as passive recipients of men’s actions. Do public librarians subscribe to these attitudes? In order to find out, we surveyed public librarians in the State of Missouri to gauge their attitudes and beliefs about romance novels and romance readers.