How Do You Manage? Case Study: Do Clothes Make the Librarian?

"It must be 100° out there," Margaret "Raz" Razzabo, children's librarian at the Wutz Public Library, said, parking herself in front of the air conditioning duct while moderately cool air blew through her closely cropped hair.

"Yeah, and it's not even ten o'clock yet. Imagine how it will feel at three," answered librarian Janet White, loading thick stacks of blank sheets into the copying machine and computer printers. The library wasn't opening for another 15 minutes, and the staff were drifting in.

"The AC in my car is shot, too," Raz said. "I thought I was going to faint driving here."

"You should have gotten it fixed before the hot weather came," admonished White.

"I wanted to, but I can't afford it."

Raz was the youngest and newest member of the staff. She tended to dress a bit more flamboyantly than the other librarians, typically wearing skirts well above the knee matched with sleeveless blouses and sandals. She had a chain of tiny hearts and flowers tattooed around her left wrist and a ring in her navel. Today she wore a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Wutz Up? Ask a Librarian" with a camouflage skirt and leather sandals.

"You got the right idea, Raz," reference librarian Sal Tassone said. He wore a golf shirt over khaki slacks and boating shoes. "How's the AC in the kid's room? Did it stay cold in there?"

"Not as cold as I like it."

"It is cool enough here in the morning, but once the place fills up and the sun comes in the windows, it gets pretty sticky."

"Okay, everyone, listen up."

They turned to see Director Herb Strandvold strutting toward them. He wore a suit and tie—as always.

"Good morning, everyone. Several members of the library board came in to see me yesterday afternoon. I'm sorry if this sounds insulting, but all of them commented on how casually all of you were dressed. They were quite dismayed to see staffers wearing T-shirts and sandals. They feel it's unprofessional and makes the library look slovenly. You all are aware that the library does have a dress code. It's my fault that I haven't enforced it of late, so I'll take the blame, but from now on all of you will be expected to conform to the written dress regulations. That means no more sandals or open-toed shoes; no T-shirts, jeans, or shorts; skirts will be hemmed below the knee; and long-sleeve shirts, jackets, and neckties are required. If you have a tattoo or a body piercing, you must keep it covered or remove it while on duty."

"Give us a break, Herb."

"I have been giving you a break," Strandvold said. "Now it's over."

"Do they think we'll be better librarians if our feet are covered or we're wearing ties?" White said.

"Not to mention our salaries stink," Raz added. "If I could afford a lot of new clothes I'd be wearing them now. If they want us to dress better, they should pay us better. And for the record, the kids think my tattoo is cool."

"In case you haven't noticed, it's just a little hot outside as well as in here," said Tassone. "Personally, if I were going to ask for assistance, I'd rather ask someone dressed casually than a guy wearing a suit and tie and sweating like a horse."

"People, people," Strandvold said, "I'm sorry but this is how the board wants it. You all knew the rules when you started working here; now you're going to have to abide by them."

By Janet Eklund, Administrator of Library Operations, New Hampshire State Library, Concord

No one is fond of administrative edicts that arrive out of the blue. One can't blame these librarians for reacting in the manner in which they did. Their defensive retorts should have sent a loud message to Strandvold that his approach was perceived as an attack on staff's style, taste, and creativity. Though Strandvold has accepted blame for not enforcing the written dress code, it is too late to try to impose the policy credibly. Strandvold has also struck out in his attempt to promote his standard of dress by example. The banter of the librarians at the AC duct has already disclosed the informal nature of their working environment. It is time to either relax or rewrite the Wutz Public Library dress code.

Rather than make personal appearance a control issue, this is an excellent opportunity for Strandvold to enlist the support of the staff, inexpensively improve staff morale, and meet employee needs. Whether it be the entire board's contention that the library appears slovenly or that of just a few board members, Strandvold needs to go to bat for the staff in light of the excessive temperatures and the nature of different employee work situations. At the same time, he needs to make a case to have funds approved for window coverings.

Today, dress code is immensely diverse based on geography, size of community, and type of business being conducted. Without a doubt, employees dressed as if they are ready to do gardening or for Happy Hour can adversely affect the public's perception of library service. No matter what one wears to work, in the end, one's appearance is still a reflection of how an institution is viewed by the public. Like it or not, and whether one wants it to be so or not, attire says much about the person and plays a significant role in whether one is taken seriously in their job. Sloppy clothes have the potential to convey sloppy attitude.

However, in his efforts to require library employees to be neat and clean and wear clothing in good condition and appropriate to their duties, the director needs to steer clear of old-fashioned thinking run amok. Business apparel standards—including library apparel—have changed for the most part as a result of the casual trends of the 1990s. Many a patron today receives high-quality service from many a tattooed librarian in T-shirt, jeans, and sandals.

Common sense ought to prevail with both the director and the staff. New appearance guidelines can be amicably established by talking with employees first, presenting a draft code, then asking for feedback and listening to it. The draft should state the business purpose the code supports, lay out the rules, and be void of sexism. Most importantly, it should be flexible within reason. Specifically stating improper clothing or fads (such as hemlines, ponytails, or piercings) can tighten up a dress code if necessary. If business casual or casual is determined to be the style of preference, definitions are essential. Ultimately, the library board members will decide what they want the dress code to say about the library. When adopted, it is important to enforce it.

We are still a visual society, and public image matters. A smile is always the best choice when deciding what to put on in the morning.

By Lyn Payne, Children's Department Manager, Orange County Library System, Orlando, FL

There are three problems facing Strandvold here: the dress code itself is the least of them. At the heart of the entire discussion of appearance is Strandvold's relationship (or lack thereof) with his staff. His conversation with them on this issue throws into relief an ongoing lack of communication, trust, and respect on both sides. His timing could not be worse: by suddenly confronting them on a hot and harried morning just before opening, he has further alienated them to such an extent that they cannot receive his message with anything other than derision.

His style is so peremptory, and so oblivious to the culture that he has allowed to thrive in his own workplace, that he appears to be the one who is out of touch. Although he states that he accepts the blame for not enforcing the dress code, his later "I'm sorry but this is how the board wants it" is a vacillating attempt to dodge that responsibility; the amorphous "board" is the bad guy. He ignores the third issue, peripheral to the immediate problem but nevertheless a serious one: pay scales, and hence lifestyle expectations, for librarians are among the lowest in any field.

A good leader is able to guide his staff toward acceptance of rules and policies by responding openly and honestly to their questions and practical concerns. Strandvold loses sight of this simple fact by trying to inflict his newfound enforcement of the dress code upon his staff, seemingly without regard to their feelings or for the reality of their daily experiences.

If Strandvold were able to rewind this unfortunate scenario and begin again, he would first need to think about the timing of his message. Certainly the board's directive must be enforced, but he should realize that the manner in which he does so is crucial to its success. He should select a less stressful time to meet with his staff. Practically speaking, unless his intention is to send them home to change clothes while he opens the branch alone, that should be at the end of the day, preferably after closing.

He should say, "I am sincerely sorry for not having enforced the dress code before. By not giving you clear direction, I have led you to believe that this rule was unimportant. Regardless of that mistake, we are all obligated to know and abide by all of the policies set by our board." He should provide written copies of the dress code to his staff. He should avoid flip language himself and should not accept it from his staff. He should acknowledge that librarians' salaries are indeed not on a par with those of other professionals and should accept his responsibility of communicating staff concerns to the board.

At the same time, he must not swallow Razzabo's bait, which implies that the library is responsible for supplying staff with appropriate clothing. He should confront the emotion of Razzabo's remarks by logically pointing out that the dress code does not require a fashionable or expensive wardrobe but simply a modest style of dress that is in keeping with basic community standards of professionalism. He should listen attentively to his staff's comments. If he determines that there are indeed impractical or unfair requirements in the policy, he should tactfully bring that to the attention of the board and then work with his staff to present appropriate suggestions for amending it.

He should encourage his staff to acknowledge that upgrading their professional image will go a long way toward increasing the community's perception of their professional credibility and hence their individual marketability. Strandvold should also use his newly minted communications skills to negotiate an agreement with the board on a reasonable time for compliance. Finally, he should pay attention to the development of his interpersonal and leadership skills, or he may find that his own fine clothes do not make the manager.