*Insert sarcastic tone*
So, for my very first post, I thought I would go with a simple, easy, not remotely divisive topic: holiday decor in a public library.
I truly can understand why this topic ruffles so many feathers. In fact, a librarian Facebook group I am in completely steers clear of it. They love to argue! They live to push buttons! They will debate on controversial topics into the wee hours of the morning! This topic, however is something no one really wants to talk about. The holidays are near and dear to people's hearts and any discussion on how to best include (or not include) holiday celebrations can seem like a personal attack.
To understand my specific viewpoint, you probably need to know a little bit about me and where I am coming from. Depending on who is asking me and when they are asking, I will claim to be either an atheist or agnostic. Religion is just not a part of my life. I'm open to the idea of believing in something one day, but it seems unlikely.
I still, however, celebrate Christmas and intend to do so until the end of my days.
No, I do not celebrate it as a day to mark the birthday of Jesus Christ. To me, it is just a special day to spend with family and buy gifts for the people I love and appreciate. It's also a good reason to eat an abundance of cookies.
As I understand it, the two sides of the argument are that a) as a public, equal access to all entity, we should not display or celebrate a religious holiday which may exclude some patrons and b) Libraries decorate for secular Christmas and stick to neutral phrasing such as "Happy Holidays!".
My opinion is that I am in the "Side B" camp with a few caveats:
First and foremost, I think public libraries need to consider their service area and patron base. I think your holiday decorations or lack thereof should reflect your community. The library I am currently working in is in a predominately Christian and conservative area. This is reflected in the beautiful decor that the library staff has put together. Their creativity is really something to behold! It is very festive and wintry with a fireplace hearth, a wintry tree, a tree made from books with a Grinch arm coming out of it and more. There are still no overtly religious items or symbols.
The library I normally work in, which is closed due to Harvey damage, has a slightly more diverse population and I think that shows in our decor. We still lean toward secular Christmas decorations but do not do quite as much throughout the month. We decorate more for our Holiday Open House and again we leave religious symbols and decor out of it.
I think the staff then needs to ask themselves, "Who are we doing this for?". Do your patrons expect an abundance of holiday decor? Are they accustomed to certain things, such as having a tree in the children's department or a Santa visit? Decorating is really fun for many of us, but we need to bear in mind that everyone will enjoy the effort put into it. If not, you are wasting time and money.
Lastly, don't over do it. There are some places that completely transform at the holidays, like department stores. I think it's important to highlight the festive atmosphere while still keeping it clutter free and functional.
I absolutely agree that "Libraries are for Everyone", but I don't think the answer to including everyone is to basically say "Libraries are for No One". No, not all of your patrons will celebrate one holiday when you work in a public library in the United States. But should we not decorate or celebrate at all? Personally, I enjoy learning about other cultures and religions and I think libraries can do a lot in terms of educating the public about different celebrations. Who doesn't like expanding their cultural knowledge?
Overall, my take is to do your best to make your patrons feel welcome and comfortable and realize that pleasing everyone is rare in life. Listen to any complaints or concerns that may come your way and do your best to find common ground. The holiday season is supposed to be a joyful time for everyone, so don't let differences drive people apart. Find joy in the differences and celebrate together.
So, for my very first post, I thought I would go with a simple, easy, not remotely divisive topic: holiday decor in a public library.
(Disclaimer: I love GIFs and intend to use many of them in this blog. You have been warned.)
I truly can understand why this topic ruffles so many feathers. In fact, a librarian Facebook group I am in completely steers clear of it. They love to argue! They live to push buttons! They will debate on controversial topics into the wee hours of the morning! This topic, however is something no one really wants to talk about. The holidays are near and dear to people's hearts and any discussion on how to best include (or not include) holiday celebrations can seem like a personal attack.
To understand my specific viewpoint, you probably need to know a little bit about me and where I am coming from. Depending on who is asking me and when they are asking, I will claim to be either an atheist or agnostic. Religion is just not a part of my life. I'm open to the idea of believing in something one day, but it seems unlikely.
I still, however, celebrate Christmas and intend to do so until the end of my days.
No, I do not celebrate it as a day to mark the birthday of Jesus Christ. To me, it is just a special day to spend with family and buy gifts for the people I love and appreciate. It's also a good reason to eat an abundance of cookies.
As I understand it, the two sides of the argument are that a) as a public, equal access to all entity, we should not display or celebrate a religious holiday which may exclude some patrons and b) Libraries decorate for secular Christmas and stick to neutral phrasing such as "Happy Holidays!".
My opinion is that I am in the "Side B" camp with a few caveats:
First and foremost, I think public libraries need to consider their service area and patron base. I think your holiday decorations or lack thereof should reflect your community. The library I am currently working in is in a predominately Christian and conservative area. This is reflected in the beautiful decor that the library staff has put together. Their creativity is really something to behold! It is very festive and wintry with a fireplace hearth, a wintry tree, a tree made from books with a Grinch arm coming out of it and more. There are still no overtly religious items or symbols.
The library I normally work in, which is closed due to Harvey damage, has a slightly more diverse population and I think that shows in our decor. We still lean toward secular Christmas decorations but do not do quite as much throughout the month. We decorate more for our Holiday Open House and again we leave religious symbols and decor out of it.
I think the staff then needs to ask themselves, "Who are we doing this for?". Do your patrons expect an abundance of holiday decor? Are they accustomed to certain things, such as having a tree in the children's department or a Santa visit? Decorating is really fun for many of us, but we need to bear in mind that everyone will enjoy the effort put into it. If not, you are wasting time and money.
Lastly, don't over do it. There are some places that completely transform at the holidays, like department stores. I think it's important to highlight the festive atmosphere while still keeping it clutter free and functional.
I absolutely agree that "Libraries are for Everyone", but I don't think the answer to including everyone is to basically say "Libraries are for No One". No, not all of your patrons will celebrate one holiday when you work in a public library in the United States. But should we not decorate or celebrate at all? Personally, I enjoy learning about other cultures and religions and I think libraries can do a lot in terms of educating the public about different celebrations. Who doesn't like expanding their cultural knowledge?
Overall, my take is to do your best to make your patrons feel welcome and comfortable and realize that pleasing everyone is rare in life. Listen to any complaints or concerns that may come your way and do your best to find common ground. The holiday season is supposed to be a joyful time for everyone, so don't let differences drive people apart. Find joy in the differences and celebrate together.
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