WILL UNWOUND #83: “You Make the Call – Separation of Church and State vs. Personal Freedom of Expression” by Will Manley
April 16, 2010A while back I was conducting an in-service staff development day for a fairly large library, and the subject of freedom of expression and First Amendment rights came up in a rather unorthodox way.
The issue was centered around the Friends of the Library book store, which was located on the first floor of this library adjacent to the circulation desk. To the average patron, the book store would seem to be a a part of the library’s operation and not a separate entity. In the previous year, the book store had turned over $40,000 to the library’s book budget. This seemed appropriate since many of the books sold in the store had been weeded from the library’s collection.
One problem that the store manager had to deal with on an on-going basis was a shortage of volunteers. Then something unexpected happened. A religious person might call it a gift from above. A group of seven clean-cut and very personable young men and women came to the rescue. Problem solved…right? Not exactly.
All heck broke loose when the President of the Library Board of Trustees walked into the gift shop one day and saw that these young volunteers were all wearing badges identifying themselves as missionaries for the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
The Library Board President’s objection was to the badges, not the volunteers. She had two very big concerns: 1) the library would be seen as advertising and advocating a particular religion, and 2) the gift shop would be seen as a Mormon charity project.
When asked to take off the badges while on duty, the volunteers refused. They said that while they were on their mission they were required to wear the badges at all times while in public. The Friends Board of Directors backed the right of the volunteers to wear the badges. He said that the volunteers were excellent and honest workers who never talked about religion while working in the gift shop.
I won’t tell you what the resolution was between the Library Board President and the Friends of the Library President because I want you to make the call. Suffice it to say that it became a very, very sticky issue between the two entities.
Please comment on one or more of the following issues:
1) Is this issue the jurisdiction of the Library Board or the Friends Board?
2) Would you require the volunteers to take off the badges in the name of separation of church and state? Or would you support their right to wear the badges as a free expression of their First Amendment religious rights?
3) Is there a compromise solution?
4) Should a Roman Catholic nun be allowed to wear her habit while working in the gift shop? Should an Islamic woman be allowed to wear a burca?
5) How about the men and women on the library staff who wear cross necklaces?
6) How about library staff members who keep Bibles on top of their work desks?
7) In December does your library put up Christmas decorations and special book displays on Christmas crafts?
8) Would it be okay for library employees to wear “Obama for President” or “Sarah for President” buttons on the job?
Good luck, and thanks for taking the challenge. Are there any right answers? To be honest…I’m not sure. This is a tough one.
1. I’d call it a joint issue. While the FOL run the bookstore, it’s on library property.
2. The appropriate body or bodies, i.e., the library board and the FOL board, should make it clear to all its volunteers (and employees) that proselytizing is not permitted. In other words, these volunteers can’t say, “Thank you for patronizing the FOL bookstore, and can I interest you in some literature about the LDS church?”
3. Library workers and volunteers should be able to wear religious dress and/or jewelry that marks the wearer as supporting a particular religion. A Roman Catholic nun who volunteers has as much right to wear her habit as an observant Jewish man does to wear visible fringes (a “tallit katan” or small prayer shawl) and/or a kippah.
4. As far as holiday decorations and festivities are concerned, people need to know that Hanukkah is NOT a “Jewish Christmas.” Here’s what Wikipedia says:
“Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is one of the most joyous times of the Jewish year. The reason for the celebration is twofold (both dating back to c. 165 BCE): the miraculous military victory of the small, ill-equipped Jewish army over the ruling Greek Syrians, who had banned the Jewish religion and desecrated the Temple; and the miracle of the small cruse of consecrated oil, which burned for eight days in the Temple’s menorah instead of just one.”
I don’t know if there is a similar holiday in the Muslim calendar.
Thanks, Sue. The problem here is that the Board President saw the badge as a form of proselytizing in and of itself. Indeed, that’s why the young people are required to wear it on missions.
Perhaps I’m way off base here, but it seems to me that a nametag is different from a nun’s habit, a cross, a burka, etc. Nametags are typically worn to identify a person as a representative of the organization in which the person is working. They are widely accepted as a professional identifier, not an expression of personal beliefs (as the others listed above would be). I think the nametags would cause confusion as to who is sponsoring the bookstore, and thus, I think it would be within the library’s purview to ask that the nametags be removed. Regarding the Bibles on desks, I think it would depend on if it is the reference desk or a desk in the staff workroom. I would have no objection whatsoever to the Bible on the desk in the staff workroom, but I would now allow a Bible at the Reference desk (unless, of course, it was for some reason part of the ready reference collection and so was work-related). And I don’t know enough about the relationships between Friends of Libraries organizations and Boards of Directors to be able to comment on that. Interesting questions!
Michelle…very perceptive response. You really did a great job of identifying the issue of the nametags, but if you saw a bunch of nuns working the gift shop at the same time wouldn’t you be inclined to see it as some kind of St. Vincent de Paul charity? Just sayin’.
You make a very good point, Will. If the bookstore was staffed by a group of (habit-wearing) nuns, it would send an implicit message that there was some affiliation between the bookstore and the Catholic Church, which I would find troublesome too (assuming this is a public library we are talking about). However, I like Dave’s solution (below) about adding an additional, prominent nametag stating that the person is a library/bookstore volunteer. This seems to be a compromise that would eliminate the confusion (about both the LDS people or the nuns), and it would allow for the reliable, willing help to continue to serve in this capacity. I wish I had thought of that idea (and this is why I am not an administrator).
Michelle, it’s a good administrative compromise but is it the right and just decision? Personally, I think that all the book store volunteers should be required to wear Friends badges. This is good public relations and makes good operational sense. Patrons have a right to know who is staffing a particular enterprise, but it skirts the issue of a religious badge sending a conflicting message of using a public entity to prominently display a mission badge. Maybe I should relax and not look for a conspiracy here.
Oof. I’m glad that for me, thinking through this issue is a hypothetical exercise, and I don’t envy those who had to handle it in the real world.
1) Is this issue the jurisdiction of the Library Board or the Friends Board?
I agree with Ms. Kamm that joint jurisdiction applies. The Friends run the store, so they have a compelling interest in how its volunteers behave, but they do so in a space that appears to belong to the library.
2) Would you require the volunteers to take off the badges in the name of separation of church and state? Or would you support their right to wear the badges as a free expression of their First Amendment religious rights?
Since the volunteers are not in fact state employees, I’m not sure whether their badges would constitute state-sanctioned promotion of religion. That said, I also don’t think that badges identifying the volunteers as missionaries fall under First Amendment rights. The badges don’t just express the individual’s beliefs: they indicate that the individual would like to convince others to share said beliefs. Those are two different creatures, as far as this inexperienced mind can tell.
3) Is there a compromise solution?
The LDS folks can wear their badges to fulfill their requirements, but they must do so with the text facing their shirts? :p That sounds silly, but I can’t think how else they could keep the badges on without creating an inappropriate environment in the book sale room.
4) Should a Roman Catholic nun be allowed to wear her habit while working in the gift shop? Should an Islamic woman be allowed to wear a burca?
Sure. Neither of those items of clothing imply a desire to convert; they express the wearers’ belief systems. First Amendment rights would, I believe, cover those clothing choices.
5) How about the men and women on the library staff who wear cross necklaces?
Same principle as my answer to #4: the necklaces are First Amendment material because they express the individual’s religious preference without attempting to foist it upon others. I think. :p
6) How about library staff members who keep Bibles on top of their work desks?
Erm. Where are the work desks in question? Can the public see them? Can fellow co-workers? Are there complaints about the Bibles? I know it sounds like I’m dodging the issue, but I think these could potentially be relevant concerns in deciding on a solution.
7) In December does your library put up Christmas decorations and special book displays on Christmas crafts?
Yes and yes. I’ve given up on trying to convince the staff that Christmas decorations create an uncomfortable atmosphere for our non-Christian patrons (I’m among them); our community is largely Christian and largely conservative, and the staff and administration take the attitude that “they expect us to decorate, so we must.” I’m very uncomfortable with the decorations, but as a first-year plebe, that makes no difference. I did, however, get permission to put together a display on “Winter Holidays Around The World.” Little victories–gotta love ‘em.
8) Would it be okay for library employees to wear “Obama for President” or “Sarah for President” buttons on the job?
No way. There are far more subtle and appropriate ways to convey political leanings, if that is somehow necessary. A donkey pin or elephant pin, much like a cross necklace, can convey a broad personal preference without creating a “campaigning” feel. And honestly I’m not even sure that such pins would be appropriate… it might depend on the community. Not sure.
Thank you for this opportunity, Will. I’m eager to hear what the real-life solution was, since I definitely fumbled around in the dark trying to come up with answers.
Jess…You identify yourself as a plebe. I’m impressed. You definitely have a bright future in the library profession. I can see you as a director some day. I like the way you methodically analyzed each issue. *Applauds* BUT…your “turn the badges around so the public can’t read the text” solution, while incredibly creative, is not realistic. To these young people that would be like turning their backs on God. Not gonna happen. I like the around the world approach to winter however. In half the world winter is really summer. It’s confusing!
Lots of questions, Will. And I think they hint at the major problem, but they also serve to mask it in their volume.
The underlying reality of this situation is a fundamental prejudice against Mormons. I think we can all agree that subtle, hidden cues are much more influential than explicit queues (i.e. the Mormon missionaries are much less “dangerous” by explicitly advertising their mission).
Your questions point to a constant, subtle influence that the library proper has on its patrons:
- Christmas celebrations, but don’t worry, we’ll make a passing reference to Kwanzaa and Hannukah. I think those sops make the Christmas focus even worse because you aren’t celebrating the most important Jewish/Muslim/Buddhist/etc. holidays. You’re merely trying to CYA around celebrating one of the Christian religion’s bigger holidays.
- Story hour choices. Are you telling me that a children’s librarian’s choice of story hour books isn’t wildly more influential than an LDS Pin or a CTR ring?
- Book displays, library material purchases, reference librarian choices, etc.
Let’s use our common sense for a second. You have nice, productive, free labor willing to help out the library. They put their beliefs on the table, but are not using the opportunity to assail patrons (and don’t pretend that a “pin” is aggressive).
What’s the problem? Oh, right. They’re Mormon.
Again, as a defender of freedom, I think you have to say, “Stop hiding behind ‘fear of lawsuit’ or ‘something might happen’. Let them be.”
When I see obfuscated arguments like what you encountered, I always end up in one of 2 places:
1) The person is a moron.
2) The person is covering up their true agenda.
OK. There is a another:
3) The person is a moron trying to cover up their true agenda.
In this case, I vote that the LBP is #3. And it burns me up.
Jeff, you open up a can of worms:
1. Worm One: This is precisely why I love blogging. I essentially “own” the blog and can enjoy an unparalled freedom of expression. To wit: you are the first to identify what’s really going on here…a prejudice against Mormons. It’s pervasive, widespread and unstated. It’s why the Mittster will never be President. In my opinion the prejudice stems from one thing: Mormons are more aggressive than most in seeking out converts to their belief system. Many people do not like that. A secondary reason is that Mormons stick together very closely and have created in a sense their own cultural norms which clash with our basic “anything goes” Hollywood norms. That makes people uncomfortable. On the other hand, Mormons do not make outlandish claims from God like what’s his name saying that the earthquake in Haiti was caused by the Haitian people making a deal with the devil. A third, more nuanced reason, why people are prejudiced against Mormons is because they seem so happy. This bugs the heck out of a lot of people who are miserable and depressed. So, okay, there is clearly an undercurrent of religious bias going on here in my opinion and yours.
2. Worm #2: On the other hand, the issue remains: does the LDS mission badge constitute an inappropriate proselytizing message in the context of a public facility? One angle that you could take, which no one has taken, is that you could say that the Friends are an independent, non-public entity who are not bound by the same strictures as the public library, but that would be a lawyerly cop out, legal hair splitting, if you will. Although, it is quite tempting. Personally, it’s a strategy that I might pursue. Although, it might result in an unpleasant power struggle with the Library Board, which might result in the Friends getting kicked out of the library depending on what their memorandum of understanding with the library says. Again we’re talking lawyers, which get expensive.
3. Worm #3: Regarding winter holidays, my strong reaction to that is to abandon efforts to “put Christ back into Christmas” and start a “new movement to take Christ out of Christmas” and to put the whole holiday into Santa’s lap. Then we could celebrate Christmas sometime in January when the Coptic Christians celebrate it in a more subdued, less comercialized, and more reverent manner. Keep the winter holiday season focused on snowflakes, snowmen, frost encrusted windows, chestnuts popping on an open fire, hot chocolate, and good old Santa and his Missus. Throw in some elves if your tastes run more toward the metaphystical.
I think this about covers it. Your turn.
Mormonism is a cult, plain and simple. their leader stuck his head in a hat and came up with a new way. Claims he say God and Jesus together — uh-huh. Mormons are baaaaaaaad. Also hoodwinked. Don’t even know their own history.
Me Too…thanks for proving my point about prejudice against Mormons.
Call me prejudiced. But I would be deeply offended to see Mormons/Jehovah Witnesses, etc in a library bookstore. I get enough flack from those assertive, get in your face people without encountering them in a place I associate with pleasure and well mannered mind your own business attitude. Just seeing them would tend to put me on the defensive. This is based on actual unpleasant experience with some recruiters for their religion. BTW, on a slightly unrelated note, it was interesting that a citizen campaign to get people to return the last Twilight title only happened AFTER people discovered she was Mormon. I hate the books, but because they are drivel. The religion of the author should be irrelevant to the judgement of whether a book is good.
Joan…how do you really feel? You can’t stereotype an entire religion based on unpleasant encounters with a few of its members. We librarians should know that better than anyone. Your turn.
Why not allow the volunteers to wear their Mormon name badges, but then require a second, larger badge that says LBRARY VOLUNTEER or FRIENDS VOLUNTEER? That way most folks would understand that the person is volunteering for the Friends as a part of his/her Mormon volunteering requirement.
We don’t have Christmas displays, we have winter decor, which goes up long before Christmas and stays up a month or so afterward. There is greenery, but no overt religious symbols. Being in the metro Detroit area, we have several religious communities represented, and all are a part of any religious displays.
The one complaint I’ve had in 3 years was that we gave too much sway to African American displays! This was from a Jewish person who wanted more emphasis on his views, not necessarily less on AA materials! It takes all kinds, and we try to give all their due.
Dave… are you an administrator? You think like one. I like your solution in that it addresses the issue of who owns the book store – The Friends, not the LDS. On the other hand, you are allowing the volunteers to continue to wear their LDS badge which is there for proselytizing purposes. That still might make folks uncomfortable. Thanks for your insight and courage!
Yes, I am an administrator. Sometimes it breaks my heart that I’ve gotten so far from the stuff that first brought me to the library profession – Reference, Story Time, etc.
But, badges cannot proselytize alone. Their wearers must speak to really have that work. We would have to reach an understanding that while volunteering, they could not proselytize, or they wouldn’t be allowed to volunteer. I’ve been able to make this relationship work in the past, with no complaints. In my previous, small town library, I would’ve heard about it if they were!
Dave, the small town grapevine is still faster than the internet!
Hmmmm. Did I miss the part where you described the badges as saying, “Ask me about my religion”? I don’t see how a name badge is there for proselytizing purposes. As long as the volunteers are clear that they are not allowed to proselytize while volunteering, I don’t see a huge problem. A simple statement on their part that they are volunteering at the library as part of their mission service should clear up any misunderstanding. There are many religious people who are easily identifiable by their clothing. Should they be asked to change their clothes? If a patron saw half a dozen Orthodox Jews volunteering, would we assume that the gift shop was funneling money to the synagogue or that they were trying to convert Christians? I see one commentators point about the badges being more official-looking…but they are also fairly unobstrusive. We have young Mormon gentlemen on their missions visiting our library all the time. It’s their clothing that identifies them, not their badge. (I think I have drifted off here…)
Political badges are a different issue. As a public employee, you are not allowed to wear them.
We put up general winter-themed decorations: snowmen, poinsettias, etc. Same with storytimes – we avoid the religious holiday aspect and instead focus on seasonal themes. But if an employee were to wear a sweater with a Christmas tree on it, there would be no problem.
It seems to me that what you have here is an appearance issue, not an actual separation issue. They are not actively trying to convert patrons and money is not going from church to state or vice versa. (Would a public library turn down a donation from a church based group?)
People need to relax.
Amy…yes, everyone needs to take a deep breath and relax. That is an important but often forgotten step one to solving these kinds of really difficult and personal issues. When people relax, as you suggest…they might ask the question as to whether or not any patrons have complained. If there are no complaints, Houston, we may not have a problem. But what if there are complaints from the public? What then? Houston, we have a bigger problem.
I have the perfect solution! In the next library newsletter, write an article about the young Mormons who are doing their volunteer portion of their mission in the library’s bookstore and THANK THEM for their service! Explain a bit about their mission year, maybe talk about them as people (where they are from, etc.), ask them why they chose the library for their volunteer work…At the end of the article, emphasize the need for volunteers and ask if there are any other groups who want to volunteer their time and energy to the library bookstore.
I like Dave’s solution … additional badges.
There’s another issue here, though. It’s that the President of the Library Board doesn’t think that having a viable Friends group (able to operate the store) is important enough for him/her to cut some personal slack with the “Mormon thing.” Besides, these young missionaries are avoiding a *lot* of doorbell ringing if they’re in the library … I rather doubt they’re much into proselytizing.
Librarybob…isn’t the LDS badge a form of proselytizing in and of itself? Also, you might be on to something. Is there a hidden agenda here…possibly a power struggle between the Friends and the Library? It wouldn’t be the first time. Could be a personality conflict between the 2 power brokers also.
Proselytizing? Yeah, sort of … but I have a hard time not giggling when a 19 year old has a badge reading “Elder So-and-So.” I see it as part of their uniform, like a nun’s habit.
They’d, generally, rather be playing basketball. As it is, by being in the library they’re avoiding as much proselytizing as they can.
LDS missionaries are expected to perform volunteer service each week — they are not avoiding proselytizing. Service is a way to give back to the communities they are temporarily living in; a general “thanks” for the rides in the rain, cold drinks of water on hot days, and cookies delivered to their doorsteps on the holidays.
Thank you, Mitzi, for the enlightenment. Good point.
Will,
I’ll leave the “reply” function for your “can of worms”, above, open to Jeff. But I like your take on the Mormons and especially on Christmas.
The Mormons are a very interesting lot. And the dynamics that are set-up between them and secular society, indeed with other Christians is very interesting to observe.
And concerning Christmas: there was never anything sacred about December 25, anyway. Let it go! We can even still call it “Christmas”. Christians can then observe a more “subdued and reverent” (Ahh, for more subdued and reverent) holiday, the Feast of the Nativity, later. January would be fine. Great idea!
Bill, thanks. 2 things.
Thing 1 – I didn’t know this until late last week but you can hit the reply function as often as you like to respond directly to a comment. That’s a good way to start what they call a “thread” …see…I’m learning.
Thing 2 – What would your solution be in this issue? You always seem to come down on the side of fairness and common sense. I’d love to get your take.
I was hesitant to wade into the fray with such extensive and thoughtful commentary from those in the trenches.
Our culture has become way too hypersensitive about the so-called “separation of church and state” issue. I’m surprised that someone hasn’t said that the haircuts, white shirt and tie that the young Mormon men wear are a form of proselytizing!
Whatever the administrative considerations, the solution to the problem should not surrender to the idea that an ID badge or any other religious garb worn by volunteers constitutes a form of proselytizing. No matter whether it’s a private or public institution. That’s nuts! Of course, a private institution can restrict whatever they want. But a public institution need not cower in the face of badge proselytizing.
The First Amendment was written to restrict Congress. It’s extrapolation to every public institution at every level was not intended.
Nicely done.
One of Jess’s points made me laugh out loud. Years ago, when I wore a suit to work every day, I would occasionally have a VERY BAD day. I kept smiling and doing my darnedest to be nice. All the while knowing that I had my “Crazed Bitch” button on the the underside of a lapel. It made the rare bad day much more bearable.
ROTFLMAO
This is a total side note: You used a computer “txt tlk” (text talk) acronym. Good for you, Will!
I gotta remember the “Crazed Bitch” thing for my Summer Reading Program days.
Yes, Kim, I am growing and expanding out of my verbal comfort zone. “Crazed bitch” will do that to a man.
When we were informed that we had to start wearing name tags, I asked that mine have my first name and the title “Reference Bitch”. Needless to say, they opted for “Librarian”.
I was reading this post and the comments thinking that my Mormon volunteers never wore name tags, and besides, who cares if they do? It’s just a name tag, and if you want some “balance” go out and find a few more volunteers who aren’t Mormon. But something in my head clicked when I read “The underlying reality of this situation is a fundamental prejudice against Mormons.” – WHAT???? Sorry, but that’s never been an issue here (in New England, we hate the Yankees & the Jets) – Mitt Romney was hugely popular until he decided to become a conservative carpetbagger – it wasn’t that we all suddenly discovered that he was a Mormon. Anyway…every person on the planet has been a “victim” of prejudice at one time or another. Let’s all stop being professional victims.
ANYWAY – the religion thing is besides the point.
Just because one member of the Board has an issue is no reason to create a tempest in a teapot. The rest of the Board should have had the sense to rein him in.
And buy some really neat volunteer badges for everybody.
Good point, Leslie. Everyone on the planet has been a victim of prejudice at some time. Interestingly enough, the only time I ever ran into personal prejudice was when I became a city manager and many people said I couldn’t do the job because I was “only” a librarian. Basically they ridiculed me for my professional background. It hurt.
The minute you said clean cut young men I knew they were Mormons. Not the Board’s business, but definitely hard for everyday people to see the difference between the Friends books store and the library.
As for a compromise, get them in other areas where the friends need work done. Pricing, sorting, weeding etc. Don’t have more than one working at a time. Dilute them by recruiting more volunteers therby cutting the number of hours they’d be needed.
The problem was that the Friends were having great difficulty attracting volunteers period.
I’ve read the entire essay twice, and all the comments, and I still don’t see what the big deal is.
Must be a generational thing.
Who honestly gives a crap who wears what religious symbol? You’re wearing a cross, or a pentacle, or an LDS badge? Good for you. Now show me how you treat other people. That’s all that matters.
Or should.
JMHO, YMMV
(just my humble opinion – your mileage may vary)
It’s not that simple. Life’s not that simple. People have biases. There is bias against religion in general. There is bias against specific religions. That’s number one. Number two… petty politics dominate most workplaces. The library board president and the Friends president are in a spitting match over control of the book store. Should there be a big deal? No! Is there a big deal? Yes! Leigh Anne, I don’t know if you are in a management position, but I spent most of my working life in management. For the last 7 years of my career I was a city manager in a city of over 170,000 population; and I had control over 3,000 employees (full time and part time). My budget was a quarter of a billion dollars. Can you believe that one of the most difficult issues I had to deal with was parking spaces for my elected officials. Don’t get me started!!! By the way, thanks for spelling out your acronymns. Now you’re going to have to tell me what Your Mileage May Vary means in this context. I’m clueless but learning. Thanks.
You’re right, of course. My wish that it were that simple is probably just one of those things I’ll grow out of…eventually. Maybe. I mean, yes, we all have biases…but isn’t the whole point of being a grownup that you put them aside for the sake of the greater good? Unless it really is the hill you want to fight and die on? Can you tell I’m a fan of the “pick your battles” school of thinking?
Sigh. Ah well.
And your’e hardly clueless, Will. The clueless person never asks questions. It’s also not your fault that I have my own patois. “Your mileage may vary” is something I started saying to mean “we might disagree on this one.” Thanks for reminding me to translate from LAV to English!
The thing I absolutely love about retirement and blogging is that you can basically limit the absurdity of life to your own personal absurdities. You don’t have to worry about eating lunch with someone who sucks yogurt through a straw or share a work room with someone who feels a religious need to display a nude group wedding photo with a 350 pound minister in the middle or find the common ground between a Library Bd. President and a Friends President who are playing petty politics over the religious preferences of some fine young people who just want to help the library and the community. Good luck with your career, Leigh Anne, and don’t let the absurdity of the work world grind you down. Keep your sense of idealism while learning to find solutions to the quirks of trafficking in the human condition. YMMV
This is certainly an interesting post. As a librarian, I feel an ethical responsibility about what I wear – most specifically, I try to look approachable. If I am wearing a religious or political symbol, that may make me unapproachable to members of the public, and then I am not doing my job properly. Likewise I do not answer requests from the public for my opinion on political issues, religions, political leanings, etc. This is my own choice based on my own thinking about librarianship, and I do not judge other library workers who have come to different conclusions on the matter.
This situation is different. I agree that having a generic Friends badge may help alleviate public concerns. I am a supporter of freedoms of all kinds, so while I don’t think it would be unacceptable for a library to demand that volunteers be free of proseletyzing religious symbols when serving the public, I also don’t think that that a no-tag rule would be in line with the spirit of the public libraries. I think EXPLAINING the situation to all might help here: explaining to the volunteers that there have been people troubled by the tags, and perhaps working on coming up with solutions to the problem with the volunteers; likewise explaining about the appropriateness/inappropriateness of proseletyzing whilst visible as an “employee/volunteer” of the friends of the library, a place concerned with customer comfort. Then, listening to staff or patron concerns about the volunteers’ tags, and explaining the library’s position on first amendment freedoms, the library’s commitment to freedom as an abstract concept, and expressing a desire to ensure that the patron of the friends store not be uncomfortable while shopping there, while still maintaining the level of volunteers necessary to run the shop.
If they haven’t run away screaming, the volunteers and patrons may actually stop to consider whether they have a reason to feel oppressed by the wearing of/not wearing of tags. At least they may be able to work through some of the issues before starting their PR notices to the newspapers.
Kate: What I really like about your analysis is that you are the first to mention something which you term “customer comfort.” This is an excellent insight and shows to me that you probably work in some sort of a public services role. Too often we focus on staff rights and needs without keeping the public central in our delibrations. “What works best for the customer?” is the first question that should be asked in creating a solution to this problem. Congratulations.
Why, thank you. I’m glad to get some congrats, since I have just been RIFfed from my job as a school librarian (thank you, State Gov’t!). I have been a circ clerk, a reference librarian in public and academic libraries, a YA librarian, an assistant department manager in a public library. If that wasn’t enough to give me a patron focus, I would be worried about myself as a librarian!