Now to say something completely unpopular
Posted by: Emily in Conferences, Etc., professional developmentJust for the record:
No, I do not like stereotypes.
No, I do not think all librarians are bun-wearing old ladies.
Yes, many librarians are quite fashionable.
But I can’t say I agree with the outrage over Paula Ryan’s participation in
http://www.tv3.co.nz/VideoBrowseAll/NationalVideo/tabid/309/articleID/34668/Default.aspx#video
Librarians are professionals, and part of that territory is presenting a professional image when representing your organization and profession. This is something that is well acknowledged by other professionals, and there are tons of resources out there aimed at helping people project the kind of professional image that will further careers as well as portray your profession positively in the public eye. And part of presenting a positive professional image is dressing for the part.
But have you been to a library conference lately? Let me put it to you this way. I would NEVER represent my organization and profession at a conference, meeting, or in a library wearing a hoodie sweatshirt. Or crappy old sandals that look like they’ve spent one too many days at the beach. Or (God forbid) holey jeans. To me, that is not the way to project a confident, credible, competent professional image. But I see others presenting themselves like this all the time.
And maybe I’m shallow. But I really have a hard time taking these folks as seriously as I do their more put-together colleagues. But I know I’m not alone in thinking this way.
A while back, Professor Laura Morgan Roberts posted a good article about presenting a professional image in the
She talks about a lot of different aspects of presenting a professional image, and I think her comments about stereotypes are particularly relevant to librarians.
“Members of negatively stereotyped identity groups may experience an additional form of identity threat known as “devaluation.” Identity devaluation occurs when negative attributions about your social identity group(s) undermine key constituents’ perceptions of your competence, character, or commitment. For example, African American men are stereotyped as being less intelligent and more likely to engage in criminal behavior than Caucasian men. Asian Americans are stereotyped as technically competent, but lacking in the social skills required to lead effectively. Working mothers are stereotyped as being less committed to their profession and less loyal to their employing organizations. All of these stereotypes pose obstacles for creating a positive professional image.”
How does one combat this sort of unfair stereotyping, especially when it can be detrimental to your career or profession? By cultivating and maintaining a professional image that you do want to be identified with.
“First, you must realize that if you aren’t managing your own professional image, someone else is. People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace. It is only wise to add your voice in framing others’ theories about who you are and what you can accomplish.
Be the author of your own identity. Take a strategic, proactive approach to managing your image.”
There are many, many ways that professionals can take charge of the image they project. They work on their writing skills. They take courses in public speaking. And they build professional wardrobes. Doctors, Lawyers, and Business professionals all do this. They think it’s important, and seek out advice on how to do it effectively.
But librarians get all huffy if someone suggests that they, too might want to consider the image that their professional wardrobe projects and look for tips for improving that image? Come on.
Why is professional attire for librarians such a taboo topic? I feel like by talking about it I’m opening myself up for tons of criticism about “perpetuating stereotypes.” I think that’s a big part of what happened in NZ. Somebody thought it was a good idea to include a speaker about professional attire, and it caused a huge stink. But if we don’t talk about it and open ourselves up to the idea that all professionals, including librarians (maybe especially librarians, given the stereotypes?), can use help in presenting their desired professional image more effectively.
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September 17th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I was genuinely surprised by the reaction to the session, though I probably shouldn’t have been. I think it’s a fabulous idea to have a voluntary session at a national conference about how to dress more professionally. As a young professional relatively new to librarianship, how I dress is something I think about on a daily basis and it would be nice to have some guidance.
I think that people’s hackles get raised at the idea that librarians should dress more professionally because they equate dressing stylishly with not being taken seriously as professionals. People, they believe, should be more concerned with what they do than with how they look. I don’t subscribe to that way of thinking, but I can see how it exists.
–Erin
September 17th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I would say that “getting huffy” is usually what happens when people feel insecure or unsure of themselves. Many older librarians of my acquaintance display what I think of as a ’60s counterculture resistance to conformity in dress codes and (apparent) lifestyle. They refuse to “sell out.” They’ve found jobs where they can dress idiosyncratically, and, sometimes, not terribly neatly, and get away with it. They are very resistant to changing their dress choices. Younger librarians of my acquaintance don’t seem to have as much baggage around the dress code issue. Conformity or even flexibility in one’s clothing choices and style doesn’t automatically equate to “selling out” to younger people. Tangentially, I have some young-ish librarian friends who wear band-aids over their tats 9-5 and don’t think anything about it. They know their tats make some patrons uncomfortable, so they just…adjust. Not sure older librarians have this same *shrug* attitude about style, dress, and professional appearance. I could be way off base, too.
September 17th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
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September 17th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
My problem is that the focus is always on the fashion disaster, when I see people generally dressed professionally. I always dress professionally at conferences and most of the people I see do too. Yet, the media wants to hone in on the dowdy librarians and Paula Ryan’s presentation wanted to do that too.
Sure, you oughta dress professionally — but would a “dress professionally” presentation ever happen at a lawyer’s conference? A sociology conference? A nursing conference? I’ve met my share of dowdies in these professions as well.
Like you say, it’s a “professional” conference — why such a frivolous and insulting topic at a time where we are supposed to be improving our knowledge and skills?
Heck, we work in libraries — we can hand the dowdy librarians a copy of Flare.
September 18th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
I think librarians have a fatal case of “shooting yourself in the foot” disease.
September 18th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I would add that it is important to consider your immediate surroundings when determining what your professional attire should consist of. At work, you are at the intersection of your professional culture, your organizational culture, and your personal identity. The image you present needs to effectively balance these three elements. (Cross-posted to my blog)
September 18th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
I’m a business librarian and that’s one group that you have to really pull out the professional attitude with at times. Not all of them, mind, but there are always some who see librarians as their personal secretary, and if you don’t dress to fit in with them, I find that it’s much, much more difficult to break out of that mold. So I dress in business casual most days, and it makes a huge difference - That’s a group where your first impression very much makes or breaks you.
Yes. I occasionally wear jeans, but nice jeans with a nice top and shoes - I only wear my older jeans if I have no student/faculty appointments or meetings and I have to be doing something where I know I’ll get dusty and dirty.
I do admit to keeping a hoodie in my office for those just in case moments - I don’t wear it often, but I’ll keep my eye out for something to replace it with, ok?
I think a lot of times librarians have fallen into the “but it’s comfortable” trap that comes up so often on What Not to Wear. Clothes can be comfortable and professional - shoes don’t have to be ugly to be comfortable. I have heard librarians say things that imply that people should just know they’re professional because they’re librarians. Professional is an attitude as well as a form of dress, and I find that when I’m dressed down, I feel less professional and more like I’m a big faker in this faculty position! Put on the clothes and I put on my work attitude too.
September 20th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Greetings from New Zealand.
I’d like to o contrinbute to this post. I was at the presentation [ briefly] - and saw the tv spot when it aired.
The original reacton to the suggestion that Paula Ryan occured on the local NZLIb New Zealand listserv
The reacton was basically two fold. First a push back from those e who, as some of the comments above signal, felt a bit threatened.
The second group reacted against the choice of presenter, Paula Ryan, who some saw as representing a particulary virulant brand of “first impressions are all - dress for sucess - think positive - get with the corporate/profesional programme.
If you take the trouble to listen/watch to the video you will hear her in full throtte. Personally it does nothing for me. You make up your own mind.
More seriously, and I made a blog post on this, the tv story, and Ms Ryans presentation completely re-enforced the stereotype that the profession was middle aged, predominatly female, and predominantly concerned with managing books, instead to working with peole.
It also completely ignored the many young , totally cool looking young library staff that are on view any day of the week in the big metropoletan public libraries like Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch et al.
It was this aspect that annoyed me. It was lazy journalism. As for Ms Ryan - sorry - no matter how hard I try, I found her attitude and pesentation was patronising in the extreme.
And I’m NOT a librarian!
I covered this and other stuff on my blog
http://www.peoplepoints.co.nz
September 25th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
It seemed to me it wasn’t a reaction to the speaker but the way she was promoted. This article http://www.dailypost.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3748447 explains how. I’ve heard very complimentary things about her presentation - that she was professional, had good tips on dressing with style (not fashion) and wasn’t in your face at all. (Didn’t go so can’t speak for myself - I’m only disappointed that the smocks didn’t get another airing.)
October 1st, 2007 at 6:15 am
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