Tiny Word, Big Gripe

In my elementary school, we had library special once a week. I can vividly recall one time in particular, standing in line waiting to go to the library in the third grade. There was nothing really out of the ordinary about this day. Hell, I can't even remember what happened once we got to the library. I do, however, remember Mrs. Schwartz giving us an impromptu lesson in the hallway, since we all called the library a lie-berry. She had us annunciate 'library' over and over again until we got it right. From that moment on, it became a personal pet peeve to hear the word lie-berry (Reason number 32 I should have known I was destined to become a librarian).

That being said, I have had to give the same impromptu lesson many a times in my day (though I'm sure they will argue that they have been nagged repeatedly by me. Tomatoes, tom-ah-toes). At this point, I expect it and try to hold my tongue to avoid persecuting my friends and family over a teensy word. I am almost at the point where I don't shudder uncontrollably upon hearing the dreaded mispronunciation of my safe haven. Or at least, I thought I was. All that changed once I was enrolled in a library program and heard FUTURE LIBRARIANS saying lie-berry. !!! Now, I can understand people outside the profession to some degree--said fast, that first 'r' is almost silent. But if you are eating, sleeping and breathing library like so many of us MLIS students have to do in order to pass our courses, that is just unforgivable. I'm sorry. I think that alongside having to take 36 credits in order to graduate, you must also be able to properly pronounce your intended career destination. "Oh, where do you want to work? A lie-berry? I'm sorry, give me that diploma." ::rips said diploma into party confetti, throws it in the abomination of a librarian's face and then jumps up and down upon the little shreds while doing the twist so as to get the pieces good and dirty::

There is one guy in my Human Information Behavior class that makes me wince over and cringe because he blatantly calls it a lie-berry every time. Every time! I've listened closely, done a critical analysis of his intonations, and he distinctly utters 'lie' and then 'berry.' I understand that this is a rather trivial matter in the grand scheme of things. And that it is your people skills and ability to find things and blah blah blah that makes you a good librarian; but if we cannot pronounce the word correctly, how will the patrons ever do it?