Joh Idol, a retired writing professor in North Carolina has a beef with the University of North Carolina chief librarian, Sarah Michalak.
Michalak declined to put up Christmas trees where they had previously stood in the Davis and the Wilson Libraries.
Here’s the author’s letter expressing his dissatisfaction with her decision, and suggestions for what he would have done in her place; here’s an earlier news report on the same story.
It’s quite a while until that time of year comes again, but maybe this letter will help you form your opinions on the hot topic of Christmas trees in libraries. In the meantime, you can form an opinion on another hot topic…tax forms in libraries.
Food for thought
Idol provides some excellent suggestions and, though somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of religious iconography in libraries like the one described, I think he offers us a nice reminder of what libraries can and should do in situations like this. Very thoughtful and thought-provoking.
Great idea
If only library administrators actually though the way John Idol does…
Whose Christmas?
I’ve no problem celebrating the communal and secular holiday that Christmas has become … it’s a better excuse for a party than most.
Unfortunately, most of those who object (in my experience, in public libraries) to the absence of Christmas decor seem to have the assumption that the Christmas *they* value for what they assume are religious reasons is also one which everyone else should celebrate. They’re not interested in the pagan origins, church history, or lectures on the “creeping commercialization” of Christmas.
Not even all “Christians” celebrate Christmas … the Seventh Day Adventists (http://adventist.org.au/about_adventists/faq/faqs/lifestyle/celebrating_christmas) come to mind. The Pilgrims from whom we derived Thanksgiving did not celebrate Christmas.
Moreover, celebrating Christmas on December 25 ignores the January celebrations of the various Eastern Orthodox churches.
Now, if one had space and could celebrate *all* religious holidays present in one’s community (more excuses for parties, for sure) then Christmas would no doubt be celebrated with more vigor and conviction than many of us administrative types now allow.