Why Librarians Wear Cardigans

I’m at a library conference right now, and I’m seeing a lot of cardigans. Librarians are mostly women and conference centers are often too cold, so this is unsurprising. Cardigans are also considered stereotypical parts of the librarian’s wardrobe – along with sensible shoes, glasses, and pencils through our hair buns. Most of those stereotypes aren’t true (minus the sensible shoes) but the cardigans really do hold up.
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Seeing all these cardigans on my colleagues got me thinking, why do librarians wear so many cardigans?

First, they are comfy. One can never knock the comfort of an item of clothing. Next, they are warm but not too warm. Libraries are often public spaces and have to follow OSHA standards - that means things can be chillier than you’d like. Or your reference desk shift is slow and, since you’re moving less, things get cold. A cardigan can keep you warm.

But library spaces and library work are also highly variable. Sometimes spaces are just hot. Sometimes you’re shelving or pushing a book cart and the exertion makes you warm. Cardigans can be unbuttoned or you can roll up the sleeves with ease. If things are really hot, they come off easy and the rest of your outfit is still work appropriate.

Plus, cardigans offer more freedom of movement than, say, a blazer. In a single workday, I’ve had to do squats to clear a copier paper jam, I’ve stood on my tippy-toes and reached to get books on top shelves, I’ve contorted myself to set up exhibits in weird spaces, and I’ve crawled under desks to deal with power plug issues. Blazers are more restricting. I need the ability to bend and stretch at will. But I also still need to look presentable at meetings.

Also, cardigans are not so precious that you’re worried about something happening to them. Mine have been covered in red rot, toner, dust, and coffee spills. They’re easy to toss in the laundry to clean. I don’t need to worry about adding a trip to the dry cleaner to my to-do list.

Finally, I think wearing a cardigan helps reduce the vocational awe that happens with librarians. It can help us come across more like Mr. Rogers and less like a business tycoon. It can be hard to walk up to a librarian and ask a question. If that librarian is wearing a business suit, that hurdle is even higher. Something about a cardigan makes us less intimidating.

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