Lunch Lady Land

Who can forget the Saturday Night Live skit done by funnymen Adam Sandler and Chris Farley, Lunch Lady Land? You can find it on NBC's website, here. The skit plays on common stereotypes of those hard-working ladies who fed us our lunches during endless days of public school. Adam Sandler's fun lyrics and Chris Farley's brilliant interpretation of the lunch lady's kind intentions and daydreamy dance surrounded by cafeteria food are a reminder that though we sometimes dreaded the lunch we received, the lunch lady was always there to serve it.

Adam Sandler and Chris Farley in Lunch Lady Land

The old image of the cafeteria lunch lady provides a good backdrop for this project. The lunch lady was an unsung hero. What we sometimes don't admit to ourselves is that she had mad skills at the art of food preparation, many of which we were never aware of. She was strong and patient enough to lift heavy pans and serve the same meal over all four lunch periods. She showed up at the school early every day to cook for us, then went home, most likely, to cook for her family.

The Let's Do Lunch project tries to bring to light the connection between the image that libraries have as feel-good public service institutions and the specific realities libraries and staff face when bringing services to communities in underserved areas.

Like the lunch lady, librarians have elite skills that come with the profession which people are often not aware of. We are organizers of information, so we have quick ways to get at the resources that could take you hours to locate. We are active listeners. It's part of our job to listen. While on desk duty, we willfully put ourselves on the front lines to answer any question you might have. Think about that. How many questions could you possibly ask about all of the topics at all levels of thought? We help you answer the very simple to the incredibly complex.

The problem of hunger and how it relates to literacy fits into the complex category. How do we, as librarians, face it? What can we do about it? This is our chance! Let's Do Lunch is here to help. This project will provide an online portal for resources you need to start a lunch and nutrition information program at your library. We will provide current data for understanding needs within your community. We will provide information and links to articles about similar programs around the state and the nation. We will also maintain a database of social and food service contact names and numbers for public use called FOOD (Food Options Open Doors). Additional print and online materials will be available as we collect them on our project website, here. You can always access our project website by clicking the tab at the top of the blog or the Lauri and Katie image on the right side of the blog. Stand on the right side of hunger. Help offer our patrons options. Let's Do Lunch!