Smocked Off

“Dowdy” and “lacking dress sense” is how fashion maven Paula Ryan described many librarians when she spoke on the topic of librarian presentation and grooming at a library conference in 2007.

Clearly offended by the remarks, Christchurch City Libraries staff responded by putting on the traditional Sanderson print smock overalls worn by the librarians of yesteryear. The protest received nationwide media coverage, including a feature on TV3’s Campbell Live.

The smocks are part of Christchurch City Libraries history. Not usually seen in public these days, they nevertheless get good use during grubby backroom work (protecting librarians’ fashionable garments) and occasionally appear for a laugh at work parties.

But there was a time when the smocks were standard librarian uniform – see this photograph.

Brian Gilberthorpe, who started work at the library in 1954, remembers that smocks were compulsory for female members of staff. City librarian Ron O’Reilly decreed that the smocks should be buttoned to the neck and worn with a belt.

Reminiscences from “A.E” (Alison Edgar) published in Paper Tape in 1980 recalled her first impressions when joining the library staff in 1958. “The overalls the girls wore were made of blue and white Sanderson linen fabric, rather heavy, but they looked nice. Miss Webster chose the material. She used to be very particular about “her girls” as she called us and some of the public used to refer to us as Miss Webster’s girls and say how good they were.”

Gradually, the dress code relaxed and librarians put as much style as they could into how they wore the smock. From the late 1960s the smock style changed to be mid thigh length, loosely fitting and done up at the front with three buttons. In some photos they appear to be worn as dresses – but are actually just covering the shorter skirts of that era.

Librarian Barbara Clarke remembers the smocks fondly. “Working in the cold end of the old library building – the smocks gave us a very important extra layer and the large pockets were very handy for carrying around all our bits and pieces” she says.

Chris Baxter, another librarian who remembers the smocks says sometimes librarians working at the front desk would secure hot water bottles under their smocks to combat the deteriorating heating system.

Finally, with the move from the old library building into the new Central Library in 1982, wearing smocks became optional - a change that staff and customers embraced. Former City Libraries Manager Sue Sutherland remembers that when she became Deputy City Librarian in 1986 she found 3 bolts of Sanderson linen in a cupboard – the same pattern in green, brown and pink shades. It was the role of the Deputy to arrange to have new smocks made when people requested them. Sue doesn’t remember anyone ever requesting a smock during her time and the linen was eventually given away during a move.

These days what library staff wear reflects age, fashion sense, comfort and brings them closer to their customers. The only “uniform” these days is the promotional t-shirt – black with logos and messages.