MDMLG News

Carla Caretto, Editor
Valerie Reid, Webmaster

Table of Contents

Comparing Health Sciences LIS Education:  Michigan and Ontario
Suitably Attired:  Does It Matter What You Wear to Work?
Tips for Time Management
Reports and Statistics:  Communicating the Value of Hospital Libraries
Announcements

Suitably Attired: Does It Matter What You Wear to Work?

Does being clothes-minded in the workplace really matter? Will your library users and fellow health care professionals perceive you as any less credible if you show up with bare legs and sandals (ladies) or in sporty trousers, sneaks, and an untucked-in shirt (gentlemen)?  

Respondents to a recent MDMLG survey on whether appearance counts in the workplace answered a resounding and mostly collective “Yes.”  In addition, most said that their institutions have basic dress and appearance guidelines for employees, but even if that weren’t the case, they would continue to adhere to self-imposed standards of professional dress.

Here’s what some of your colleagues had to say on this always lively topic:

Toni Janik (Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital / Windsor, Ontario) said she’s a firm believer that appearance affects perception. “How we present ourselves is indeed considered by those we work with and by patrons. My summer students conducted their own research one year, and some chose to wear dress pants and shirts with ties, while the others wore cargo pants and golf shirts. All were interested in becoming doctors one day. The ones dressing in shirts and ties were invited regularly to go on rounds with the docs, and I regularly received positive feedback on them.” She said that she also finds “dressing in suits and tailored attire as I do that the docs, nurses, and administrators using the library respond more positively to me – they know who is the librarian is.” She said that her institution does have a basic dress code – “professional dress, neat and clean, no open-toe shoes, no sandals, no bare legs or feet, no halter tops, no stirrup pants, no artificial nails (health issues), no body piercings, only two earrings per ear” – but even if it didn’t she dress the same way she does now.

Melba Moss (Port Huron Hospital / Port Huron, Michigan) said, “ ‘What you see is what you get’ applies to how people think of those they interact with at work. The expectation is that a professionally dressed person is more professional than someone who is dressed for ‘fun.’ I feel more confident about someone who takes the time to dress as though they respect their position and their institution.” She said that her institution does have a fairly detailed dress code, and no-nos include Capri pants, cargo pants, tank tops, toeless shoes, sandals, sneakers, shorts, and sundresses. Women must wear hose, a dress with sleeves (or cardigan over if sleeveless) or a suit, and their slacks must be part of an outfit, not casual. She said that while the hospital dress code is not adhered to by all departments – “some look pretty sloppy, some employees even wear ‘evening’ dress from time to time, an interesting look, but the library maintains its adherence to appropriate dress at all times, in all seasons.”

Sue Skoglund (Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital / Wyandotte Michigan) agrees that workplace image counts.  She said that her institution’s new behavioral standards include a dress code aspect: “Basically, no jeans, Capri pants, shorts, etc. It's business casual … but I usually still wear suits. Interestingly enough, I have heard myself described twice now as ‘professional’ as the first characteristic listed.”

Mary-Ellen Bechard (Windsor Regional/ Windsor, Ontario) said that dressing as a professional is crucial to being perceived as a professional. “It just makes a statement when you have a ‘business’ look and you are well-pulled together. Sundresses, sandals, bare legs, and big tee-shirts should be left for the beach. Librarians already have an image problem and we will not be taken seriously if we do not make a good impression on others. Perception is everything.” She said that her institution does have a dress code that includes no open-toed shoes and no sleeveless tops, but it is not strictly adhered to or enforced. “Thank you for bringing this important issue to the forefront,” she added.  “We all need to be reminded how important this is especially at this time of the year.”

Carole Gilbert (Providence Hospital and Medical Centers / Southfield, Michigan) said that she has “long been an advocate of dressing like a professional, and I just hate it when librarians show up looking like they're going to the beach! I truly believe that it is important to dress professionally and that it does make a difference in how one is treated. So does gender.” (But that’s a topic for future newsletter article!) She said her institution does have a pretty detailed dress code, which includes some of the following standards: hosiery with shoes; no clogs, athletic shoes, or other extreme shoe styles; moderate jewelry and makeup; no heavy perfume; appropriate undergarments; no extreme fashions such as halters, plunging necklines, backless tops, bare midriffs, sheer or see-through material; no tight or clingy clothing; dresses must be at least knee-length; slacks much touch the floor; nurses can’t have hair longer than shoulder length or it has to be tied back. Carole said that while hospital staff doesn’t always adhere some of the standards to, she insists that library staff members always project a businesslike image.

Lea Ann McGaugh (McLaren Regional Medical Center / Flint, Michigan) agreed that clothing is an important aspect of projecting a professional presence in the workplace. “Absolutely! As a manager, I wear suits, dresses or dressy pants, always with hose or socks. Library staff members wear slacks or dresses with hose or socks. I do allow tennis shoes for staff, but never for me.  And no denim.” She said that her institution has general dress and appearance standards  –“Appearance ( i.e., hygiene, apparel, jewelry, perfume, hair, facial hair, finger nails) should be neat, clean, safe and appropriate for the job, avoiding extremes...."  – but that department-specific policies are also permitted. She said that the library does not have its own formal written policy.

Karen Tubolino (John Dingell VA Medical Center / Detroit, Michigan) emphatically agreed that appearance influences perception.  She said that while she does not have any formal dress code rules for the library staff, she has made it clear that she expects them to dress in a professional manner. She said that her institution had a dress code at one point, but it proved to difficult and to enforce “so it was dropped.” She also said that her institution does have a policy permitting staff to wear jeans on particular days for fund-raising purposes, but that her staff rarely participates, even though she honors the policy.

Debbie Cicchini (St. John North Shores Hospital / Harrison Township, Michigan) said that what you wear in the workplace is “very important. You need to dress for your position.” She said that both St. John North Shores and St. John Medical Hospital and Medical Center (Detroit, Michigan) have a written dress code policy that includes the following: no strong perfumes; no outlandish nails, tattoos, earrings, or body piercings; no tight clothing; no bare legs; no sandals or open-toe shoes except in the summer; no jeans or sweat pants; and no T-shirts. “To me, the policy just seems like common sense,” she said. “But I guess some people don’t have much common sense!”

Christina Wallace (Windsor Regional Hospital / Windsor, Ontario) said that professional dress is particularly important for librarians “who have struggled enough with breaking stereotypes and communicating the importance of our profession. I make sure that, in general, I dress at least as well as the hospital administrators.  Even if the library isn't seen as a ‘power department’ in the hospital, it is important for the librarians to be recognized as ‘people of power.’ ” She said that her library does not have its own formally stated dress code, but the hospital does, and one of the major rules is "no open-toe or -heeled shoes" due to the risk of needle stick injury (“probably a minimal risk in the Library!”)  One aspect of appearance that she sometimes takes a bit of a non-traditional approach to is hair. “While I always dress professionally, I occasionally sport a ‘wild’ hairstyle or hair color. I don't feel that this makes me look any less professional than the next librarian.  I simply present myself as a professional that can also express herself.  After a minute of hearing me speak, most people stop staring at my hair.”

Diana Balint (Oakwood Southshore Medical Library / Trenton, Michigan) said that “professional dress goes a long way to instant respect.”  She said the believes that “it is absolutely essential for librarians to 'dress as you wish to be paid.’ I have seen evidence of that for more than thirty years. In the medical library profession, there are moments when you must assert yourself before health professionals with the largest of egos. They are literally legends in their own minds. Professional, conservative attire can only help in projecting an image of someone deserving of respect.” It also helps distinguish the professional librarians from support and clerical staff, she said, noting that in her city public library “you cannot tell professional staff from the janitor unless you ask. It always looks sloppy.”

Diane O’Keefe (Flint Public Library / Flint, Michigan) confirmed that the public library setting tends to be a little more casual. “I try to dress professionally, but I noticed that when I started working at a public library the dress was somewhat less professional than I was accustomed to [in the hospital library setting]. I was told that there is no official dress code, but as long as you don't look like you came in off the farm, or are going out to a nightclub, anything in between is okay.  In spite of this I still try to dress like a professional.  The only concession I have made is a walking shoe with more foot support when I am wearing pants – but not a sneaker.”

Christine Miller (St. Mary Mercy Hospital / Livonia, Michigan) said that “this is a hot topic with me – summer, fall, winter or spring. How one dresses for work affects how one is perceived. I hold myself to the highest standards possible – both in appearance and in the medical information resources services I provide.” She believes these standards have served her well, recalling that “a few years ago, the corporation demanded a large cutback in personnel and the library was to be part of the cutback. The ‘powers that be’ were surprised to hear such sincere support for the ‘invaluable’ library, and they seemed to be most amazed that so many people, particularly the physicians, knew the librarian by sight and professional reputation.” She said that her institution does have a written dress code, targeted mainly at patient care employees, which prohibits apparel such as denim, open-toed shoes, sandals, Capri pants, and tank tops. Non-patient care employees are instructed to dress “appropriately,” she said, but “some dress professionally than others.” She said her typical outfits are suits or skirts with sweater sets.

And finally:  

Sara Peth (VA Medical Center / Ann Arbor, Michigan) has a little different perspective on the impact of workplace dress than other respondents. She said that she only agrees “up to a point” that workplace apparel affects workplace perception. For one thing, she said, “I believe that most work environments are less formally structured than they were back in the 1980s, and that dress – a la John Molloy – is not as important in defining a ‘professional’ workplace as it once was.” In addition, she said, “I think one needs to dress to fit the situation. If the organization is formal, then I would dress formally. If the workplace is casual, then I dress like others around me. To wear skirted suits and formal dresses all the time would as out of place in my workplace as if I wore jeans all the time (although less out of place than the formal wear).” 

She said that her institution “is a pretty casual place with a business casual dress code, mostly to keep things from getting too casual. The majority of the staff wears lab coats. No jeans are allowed except on payday Friday, no shorts, tank tops, T-shirts (which I interpret to be white shirts with slogans and pictures), no clogs (whatever that means!), and we are supposed to wear socks or stockings.” However, she noted “I see women everyday wearing slides or open-backed shoes with and without socks/stockings, especially as hot as it has been.” She added that “I myself am pretty casual and don't wear formal business dress – it is too hot year around and I am not comfortable. I dress in what you could call ‘business casual,’ khakis and other nice pants and coordinated tops. In fall/winter, I rarely wear dresses and skirts because I hate wearing stockings. I wear nice pants with socks, and sweaters or some kind of top. In spring/summer, I'll wear pants, long skirts and dresses and no stockings or socks, and short sleeved T-shirts and tops unless I have to attend some kind of meeting, which doesn't happen too often.” She said she wore shorts and T-shirts for nine years in her previous job for Internet service provider in a university environment. “Now that was great and no one's professionalism was ever doubted.”  

However, she said, “For the most part, I do agree with the VA dress code. It’s important to look neat and well groomed, but folks wearing business suits or formal business wear look out of place to me. I go along with most of the dress code except for the T-shirt and socks/stockings thing. My library doesn’t have air conditioning, and I am very much adversely affected by the heat, especially when it gets above 75. There is no way I will wear stockings or blouses (I don't even own any) in the summer! The library in on the top floor along with the Director and Chief of Staff's offices, so we are somewhat remote from the rest of the Medical Center. Many of the women, including myself, wear pants or long skirts and no stockings. Some wear open-toed sandals, I generally wear sling-backed sandals or casual shoes that are closed-toe.”

“I believe that I am dressed as professionally those around me,” she concluded, and “I don't expect others to see me any less professionally simply because I don't wear a suit or stockings. My abilities to do my job and how I interact with patrons determine my professionalism.”

Sheryl Stevens
Medical College of Ohio

BACK TO THE TOP

I have to confess a new television habit. I’ve started watching HGTV’s "Mission Organization". Every week, the audience gets to watch as a household is forced into organization, and in doing so, finds a more satisfactory life, or so it seems. I’m inspired after every episode to categorize and index all my office and household detritus. The folks enduring the change on the show are forced to confront and expose their chaos and mess, and in return, they receive help in transforming their lives.

The next show idea that I want to see developed is "Mission: Time Management". We are all asking ourselves to handle more tasks than our lives and brains can accommodate. We could all use a "life organization" expert to come for a visit. As this isn’t possible for most of us, I’m going to try to sum up some ideas and practices which might help all of us in some small way. I also have complied a list of resources which might help you further along the path to time management enlightenment.

One suggestion (taken from How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself)

Do a time log analysis. We’re librarians; we like data. Make a grid for yourself for a week or so. Break it up into meaningful sections of time-15-30 minute blocks work for most people. Keep a careful log of your use of time. Use that information to determine the following:

1.  Which activities

a.  could be simplified?
b.  could be delegated?
c.  could be eliminated?
d.  deserve more attention?
e.  did you enjoy doing?

2.  With which people

a.  did you interact the most?
b.  did you interact the least?
c.  Should you alter the frequency or duration of your interactions?

3. What percentage of your activities were

a.  of high value?
b.  pressing?
c.  Are you comfortable with these percentages?

4. What percentage of your activities

a.  were scheduled?
b.  involved interruptions?
c.  Are you comfortable with these percentages?

5. Interruptions

a.  Who or what was your most frequent interrupter?
b.  How are you interrupted most often (phone, visitor etc)?
c.  Do feel that the interruptions were necessary?
d.  Are you comfortable with how you handled them?

6. Goals

a.  Are there major differences between what you had hoped to accomplish and what you actually did achieve?
b.  Are you spending your time pursuing those things that have high value to you?
c.  What goals do you have that are not reflected in specific actions in your time log?
d.  What activities can you add to your schedule to make progress toward them?

If you have to handle a crisis (from How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself):

• Pause to survey the situation. Ask yourself, "Is this really a crisis, or am I just reacting to it as though it were?"
• Retain your composure. People who look to you for guidance will be reassured, and will be less likely to run off half-cocked.
• Get a grasp on the most immediate problems. Then determine what should receive attention first.
• Think creatively, but look for the simplest solutions. Once the crisis is over you can work on something more elaborate and long lasting.
• Adapt your style as needed to get through the critical period. Concentrate on achieving the results required.

Now that you have a better handle on just what your day is actually like, you might look to the literature to develop a method to handle it. There are as many ways to plan to organize your time, as there are authors who write about it. The essence of all of them is this: spend more time doing important tasks and less time on the unimportant ones. Work on the important ones during your most productive time of the day. (This is morning for most, but not all, people).

There are many systems by which we can organize our time, but one of the most common is one developed and marketed by Steven Covey of Franklin Planner fame. (Check out the FranklinCovey website for more information. It’s got some great planning resources, and they don’t cost a cent.)

One of the tools that the Covey system uses to help decide how to balance your time is the quadrant system. It forces you to rank the activities by importance and priority. This gives a clear visual grid of the tasks and their rankings. This allows one to plan the day or week according to importance and relevance. Of course this requires that one have a good handle on the tasks to come for the day or week.

Covey Quadrants

I. Urgent/Important tasks
II. Not Urgent/Important Tasks
III. Urgent/ Not Important
IV. Not Urgent/ Not Important

Another common planning tip is to schedule some part of your day to work alone. Close your door or ask your colleagues to approach you at another time, and use the uninterrupted time to get through the difficult tasks that require full concentration. Don’t answer the phone or email. The amount of time may vary according to the task, but building it into your schedule ahead of time leaves no one in the lurch. If everyone is allowed to do this at different times knowing that the phone will get answered and the circ desk will be covered, you will all feel like a more productive and responsive team.

There are quite a number of us out there who just aren’t "left-brained" enough to implement those sorts of ranking systems. I count myself among them. I was the child with the messy desk in grade school, and I’m just one of those people who need to have everything spread over my desk. I’m a messy desk person as an adult, just as I was a messy desk sort of child. I can find anything though. I know where everything is. I have my own sort of filing system and organization scheme. It just doesn’t make sense to everyone else. I fell in love with a book called Time Management for Unmanageable People by Anne McGee-Cooper of the "You Don’t Have to Go Home Exhausted" fame. She describes a sort of visually based organization system for those right-brained folks among us. Her methods include color, texture, and making a careful assessment of how you work the best. If you work best in a cluttered situation, leave it cluttered, but it needs to be confined. You need to make sure that others can locate information that they need as well. If your system uses color, make a grid that explains what the color represents so that it doesn’t leave others out of the loop. She describes using a board with colored sticky notes to organize projects or schedules. She advocates baskets for each project if filing isn’t the users strong suit. She busts the typical organizational myths such as: a messy desk is the sign of a cluttered mind; don’t put it down unless you file it; finish one task before beginning another; handle each piece of paper only once. Sometimes how we really work most productively runs contrary to these rules. She encourages us to spend time learning what works for each of us.

Technology can be an ally in the time management battle. For those of us now used to having a PDA, we find them indispensable. They manage our schedules, manage our data, and allow this to be shared at will with other users. There are as many software packages available as there are programmers. If you’re new to the PDA world, check out some of the software download sites and read the user comments. Users will leave responses to well-designed and useful software. You will also find that many major time-management houses produce their own software versions. You can replicate a system that works for you in an electronic platform.

Use the tools available in your workplace. We use GroupWise within my hospital community, and I know that many others of you do as well. It’s not the most useful tool given how I choose to work from day to day, but it does work well for many people. It’s particularly useful for departments with several employees in order to coordinate schedules easily. Some companies are also sponsoring seminars on Time Management.

Spending the day getting done what needs to get done feels productive and powerful. It also gives one more time to pursue other interests. It allows us to get a better balance in our lives.

Recommended Reading: (these are all available through the public library system)

Cochran, J. Wesley. Time Management Handbook for Librarians. Greenwood Press 1992

Covey, Stephen R., Roger Merrill and Rebecca R Merrill. First Things First: to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy. Simon & Schuster 1994

Loehr, Jim. The Power of Full Engagement. Free Press, 2003

McGee-Cooper, Anne. Time Management for Unmanageable People: the Guilt-Free Way to Organize, Energize, and Maximize Your Life. Bantam. 1994

Schlenger, Sunny and Roberta Roesch. How to Be Organized in Spite of Yourself: Time and Space Management That Works With Your Personal Style (there are multiple editions of this)

Seiss, Judith A. Time Management, Planning, and Prioritization for Librarians.  Scarecrow Press 2002

Web Resources:

Patterson, Karen. Time Management (accessed 5/28/04)  

Peterson, Lisa C. Time Management for Library Professionals.

Henricks, Susan. Time Management for the Busy Librarian.

Juliet Mullenmeister 
St. Joseph Mercy of Macomb