I hear you. I find this frustrating as well. But-

I didn’t copy everything in the book, I actually only copied the library pictograms. One of the other things the other pictograms the designers had to do for the competition was an entry for an internet cafe. As a public librarian it is definitely funny looking at all of those images, since they represent a LOT of what we offer at our libraries as well, with one exception: coffee. Sure some libraries offer coffee, but its not like its part of our mission or something. Or should it be?

Even though I’m all about public libraries in the USA really embracing and promoting community activites as diverse as video games and rock concerts, I’m not sure that a good design for a library pictogram should be based on the image we WANT libraries to have, rather than the image the public mind has already formed over years and years of receiving our services.

So, your point:
“I am not sure it’s in our best interests to continue to chain our public identity completely to books in their traditional form.”
I agree with it- but its a longer, larger marketing and PR effort that involves some kind of training of peoples perceptions. You can certainly use simple imagery like a pictogram to train people to think differently about libraries- but I’m not sure that creating a national standard is the right time.

Buy this book- it really is excellent. I’m not sure I can reproduce more of it on the blog without violating some kind of copyright issue.

I am not sure it’s in our best interests to continue to chain our public identity completely to books in their traditional form.