How Do You Manage? Case Study: The Decorations Debate

"Now what is she doing?," puzzled Willie Byrne, a staffer at the Hallmark Public Library, nodding toward colleague Ann Falk.

"Must be decorating day again," answered Mary Vitagliano.

Both watched quietly as Falk removed several tissue paper–wrapped items from a shopping bag and began displaying them on the circulation desk. Once her knickknacks were arranged and rearranged with a critical eye, Falk removed a handful of papier-mâché items and commenced taping them to the wall. Once her work was completed, Falk stood back and appraised her creation with a smile and a satisfactory sigh before walking off.

"Shall we view the, um, exhibit?" asked Byrne snidely.

"Yes, let's," chirped Vitagliano.

"Hmm, what do we have here? My, my, isn't that cute. There's a little Abe Lincoln with his big hat and a little George Washington on his horse for President's Day and here's a little Cupid with his bow and arrow for Valentines Day," said Byrne.

"If we put Lincoln and Washington together behind Cupid, it'll look like they're in love," Vitagliano said.

" 'Will you marry me, George? I'll give you a penny.' 'Of course, Abe, but you'll have to shave before the wedding,'" ad-libbed Byrne.

"And what about the Honeymoon?," said Vitagliano. " 'Say, Abe, are you in the mood?' 'Not tonight, George. I just got back from the theater and I have a killer headache.'"

They both laughed.

"Are you two poking fun at my decorations again?" asked Falk.

"Sorry, Ann, but you've got to be kidding with this silly stuff," Vitagliano said.

"I don't think it's silly at all," Falk said defensively. "I'm just trying to liven up the place."

"We have the world's knowledge at our fingertips," said Byrne. "What else could you want?"

"A little festivity wouldn't hurt. It's a library, not a funeral parlor," Falk shot back.

"Yes, but as a library, it's a public place, and not all the public appreciate the decorations," said Byrne. "Other public facilities have been sued over this kind of thing. Have you noticed there's never a Christmas tree in the post office anymore?"

"And, quite frankly," Vitagliano added, "not all the staff likes them either."

"Most people think they're cute. I've gotten a lot of compliments," answered Falk.

"Yeah, but all it takes is one person to write a nasty letter to the mayor or the newspaper and we're in trouble," stated Vitagliano.

"My god," said Falk exasperated, "it's just a couple of little decorations. It's not like I'm hanging up a Nazi flag. What is the big deal?"

By Tracey A. Callison, Head of Technical Services, Addison Public Library, IL

Most libraries have at least one employee who wants to brighten their surroundings—and properly channeled, that desire can help make the library a welcoming, friendly place for its patrons and staff instead of the sometimes sterile-seeming box that we see too many times.

Decorations can be a potentially hazardous area for directors, for a couple of reasons.

Politically, every community is different in its composition and in its idea of what is or is not appropriate for a public place to display. In some parts of the country a Yuletide display containing a manger scene would cause no comment, while in other parts of the country (or the next town over) there lives someone who is going to be offended at the inclusion of a Christmas tree. As an institution dedicated to serving the public, it is important that we take pains to be inclusive of the different types of people who make up our service population by offering well-rounded collections and an atmosphere that is welcoming to all of our patrons.

Safety and workflow can be other issues when it comes to decorations. As to the objects that Falk is placing on the circulation desk and hanging from the walls: Are they within reach of children who can break off small parts and swallow them? Do they impede the functionality of the circulation desk? What happens if one of them falls off the wall and hits a staff member on the head? The director is responsible for all areas of the facility and needs to be involved in the decorating process as much if not more than he or she is involved in the selection of furniture and materials.

I also see an issue with the amount of staff time being spent on this activity. It may not seem like much to have one staff member put a few things out, but add in the two other staff members who feel compelled to watch (and comment on) the process, and it begins to add up.

There is a way to handle this that addresses all of the above concerns. The director can appoint a staff member (it doesn't have to be Falk, but she would appear a logical choice) to be in charge of the "library decorations," with a few provisions. Decorations should be owned by the library and approved by the director. This allows some oversight of what is being put out around the building by someone who is familiar with the mores of the community and can steer clear of any potentially offensive decorations. It also means that the decorations won't leave even if the employee does!

The director should also make it very clear how much time is to be allocated to this task, based on his or her judgment of what is an appropriate use of staff time.

By doing this, the director can channel the talents and desires of one staff member into areas that benefit the library while also preventing any possible situations where the director is being called onto the carpet by a member of the public without having any idea why (or without having seen the decorations in question). It allows for a coherent overall decorating scheme, instead of one area being decorated when no others are (or being decorated in conflicting styles). This will also send the message to other staff members that there is official approval for this activity, which will, one hopes, encourage them to find better things to do with their time than put poor George and Abe in compromising positions!

By Mimi Davis, Reference Librarian, Broward County Library District, Fort Lauderdale, FL

It is true that corny decorations can reflect poorly on a library. And "papier-mâché items" taped to a wall in the circulation area sound unprofessional at best. Falk needs to remember that her decorative objects send a message to her community—what kind of message is she sending?

Byrne and Vitagliano don't appreciate Falk's displays and find them to be silly and inappropriate. This can be a legitimate impression of a holiday display—but it has been voiced in an ineffective and rude manner. It's counterproductive to bicker about the issue amongst themselves—and it sounds like this issue has been a sore spot for some time. It is also bad form, not to mention unprofessional, to voice crude criticisms and jokes out in the public areas of the library.

Falk, on the other hand, feels that she is simply trying to "liven" up the library and thinks that Vitagliano and Byrne are blowing the situation way out of proportion. Because she has gotten only compliments up to this point, she assumes that the public appreciates and enjoys her efforts. She is unable (or unwilling) to concede to the idea that there may be people who don't appreciate her knickknacks.

If Vitagliano and Byrne genuinely believe that the seasonal decorations in this instance will offend people, they need to take their concerns to a supervisor and consult the library policy regarding holiday decorations immediately. Not only does the supervisor need to put a stop to the petty sniping before serious damage is done to the rapport amongst staff members, but s/he can educate the staff on what type of decorations are allowed within the parameters of current library policy. If no such policy exists, a discussion meeting of all staff members should be called so that everyone's opinions can be voiced and the issues surrounding seasonal decorations can be worked out together and written guidelines put in place.

This is a sticky situation, where people are going to feel strongly on both sides of the issue—and it is unlikely that a policy or discussion will change that fact. But the discussion can at the very least ensure that all staff members are educated on what kind of decorations are suitable for their library and can talk calmly and politely about their personal feelings surrounding the issue—and perhaps begin to see the value in the perspectives of others.