Comments on: Now to say something completely unpopular http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/ The Library Status Quo Must Go! Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:10:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: The Library Shelf - Today’s Top Blog Posts from Librarians - Powered by SocialRank http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-606 The Library Shelf - Today’s Top Blog Posts from Librarians - Powered by SocialRank Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:15:54 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-606 [...] Library Revolution » Blog Archive » Now to say something completely unpopular [...] […] Library Revolution » Blog Archive » Now to say something completely unpopular […]

]]> By: irkstyle http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-595 irkstyle Tue, 25 Sep 2007 22:40:10 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-595 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.) 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.)

]]> By: paul reynolds http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-576 paul reynolds Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:02:51 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-576 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 www.peoplepoints.co.nz 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

]]> By: Laura http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-572 Laura Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:08:45 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-572 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. 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.

]]> By: Edward Bilodeau http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-571 Edward Bilodeau Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:22:32 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-571 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) 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)

]]> By: Jeff http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-570 Jeff Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:00:45 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-570 I think librarians have a fatal case of "shooting yourself in the foot" disease. I think librarians have a fatal case of “shooting yourself in the foot” disease.

]]> By: Ryan Deschamps http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-569 Ryan Deschamps Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:29:53 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-569 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 <i>Flare</i>. 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.

]]> By: Yes, But I Never Wear a Tie. | Library Stuff http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-568 Yes, But I Never Wear a Tie. | Library Stuff Tue, 18 Sep 2007 01:17:04 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-568 [...] Emily Clasper - “I would NEVER represent my organization and profession at a conference, meeting, or in a library wearing a hoodie sweatshirt.” Posted in stereotypes | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top Of Page [...] […] Emily Clasper - “I would NEVER represent my organization and profession at a conference, meeting, or in a library wearing a hoodie sweatshirt.” Posted in stereotypes | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top Of Page […]

]]> By: Mickey Coalwell http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-567 Mickey Coalwell Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:44:22 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-567 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. 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.

]]> By: Erin Leach http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-566 Erin Leach Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:48:18 +0000 http://libraryrevolution.com/2007/09/17/now-to-say-something-completely-unpopular/#comment-566 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 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

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