It's LIBRARY!

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say "liberry" instead of "library." Little children are excluded, as long as they grow up and say it correctly ;-) Those with speech impediments are also excluded. (I'm really not a meanie, I swear.)

Anyway, I have two cases in point which REALLY REALLY bother me.

I'm not talking about a casual overheard conversation in the grocery store. I'm talking about two people who work pretty closely with libraries.

One, a sales rep at work, whose sole job is selling our stuff TO libraries, always says it "liberry." He'll be on the phone with a "liberrian" talking this person up about our latest products, and then I'll hear the dreaded L word. I sit near him, so I can hear him clear as a bell. I shudder EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. he does it. Who knows what the "liberrians" think of him, when he's visiting them in their "liberries." You don't hear car salesmen saying "Niss-in" instead of Nee-SAHN."

The other, is a woman in my library school class. She works in a school library (I think it's elementary) and I cringe every time she opens her mouth in class. "Liberry" this, "liberry" that. For God's sake, woman! You are teaching YOUNG MINDS. Please do not corrupt them into thinking that this is the right way to say the place where the books are kept. I'm surprised the professor hasn't said something yet. I would if I were her (the prof).