Jefferson County Public Library workers say a proposed dress code policy under negotiation would bar them from wearing Pride pins, DEI-themed shirts or other visible signs of support for marginalized communities, despite the library’s public celebration of diversity.
The proposed change comes as staff are negotiating their first-ever union contract. In March 2024, JCPL employees voted to unionize, forming the Jefferson County Library Workers Union under Colorado’s new collective bargaining law. Contract talks have been underway since the vote.
At issue is the library’s current dress code, which allows staff to wear business casual attire and include limited adornments on lanyards, such as pronoun buttons and two additional pieces.
The policy also states apparel should be “free of slogans/wording other than JCPL or County-sponsored items.”
Union members say they had hoped to clarify and expand this policy to explicitly allow supportive t-shirts and buttons tied to library events, such as Pride Month, Black History Month or Banned Books Week.
Instead, management has proposed further tightening restrictions, eliminating all visual messaging, including buttons and other visual elements.
Williams said management has cited safety concerns, arguing that visible political messaging could lead to verbal altercations. For instance, a patron might yell at a staff member for wearing a Pride button.
Williams said she’s unaware of any prior incidents involving apparel, and noted the library’s public-facing code of conduct already addresses verbal harassment.
“They’re saying it will make library workers safer,” Williams said. “But what keeps us safe is enforcing the code of conduct, not telling us not to wear a button.”
Staff raise concerns over free expression
Williams and union staff believe the issue goes beyond a few slogans.
“This isn’t just about a dress code,” said librarian Katherine Williams, a member of the union’s bargaining team. “This is the canary in the coal mine.”
JCPL leadership declined to answer specific questions, citing the ongoing collective bargaining process.
Executive Director Donna Walker emphasized the library’s public-facing commitment to equity.
“JCPL remains unwavering in its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we will not restrict or diminish our support for these efforts,” Walker said.
JCPL also highlighted its continued support for LGBTQ+ communities with a robust lineup of Pride Month programming in June, including author talks, book displays, film screenings and family-friendly events across multiple branches.
But union members say that’s not what’s playing out behind the scenes.
“How can the library present itself externally as radically welcoming, while internally telling staff they’re not allowed to express the same kind of support?” asked staff member Katy Conway during public comment at a June 18 board meeting.
That meeting, according to Williams, drew more than 50 attendees, including over 40 patrons who spoke out against the proposal.
“This proposed policy is not neutral,” staff member Anna Sparlin told the board. “It’s going to be a nightmare to enforce, and it throws our most vulnerable staff and patrons under the bus.”
Williams also pointed to what she described as a double standard. While management seeks to ban symbolic support for marginalized groups, the library has declined to implement a county statute that would prohibit the open carry of firearms in library facilities.
“If management views signs of support for marginalized communities as ‘offensive’ or a safety concern while simultaneously refusing to implement a county statute that would prohibit open carry of firearms in libraries, we are forced to ask: whose safety really matters?” she said
While the dress code issue hasn’t derailed broader negotiations, staff said it reflects larger concerns about creeping restrictions on library programming and materials.
“Public libraries exist to serve everyone,” Williams said. “But that only works when staff are empowered to reflect the values of equity, safety and inclusion that our communities need and deserve.”