At work, we are five full-time and two part-time librarians all crammed into one office. Last week we rearranged the desks and shelves and in the process, got a small table for staff meetings and eating our lunch.
Yesterday, we found an A4 sheet of paper on that table with a note from our head librarian, "Ellen":
"PLEASE keep this table uncluttered and clean at all times. Thank you."
This table has been there for a week. Apart from a tea stain removed the very same day, the only thing "cluttering" it so far has been a plate of cookies Ellen had put there herself. Plus, when we want to use the table now, we don't quite know what to do with the note itself, it gets in the way.
Basically, we feel we're being treated like grade schoolers. Ellen is not usually the passive-aggressive kind, so we don't quite know what to make of this or if we should speak up.
Has anybody been in a similar position?
If you were, did you speak up?
How would you start that conversation?
All I can come up with is "Ellen, why do you think the note you left on the new table is necessary?" and even that would take a level of boldness I'm not sure I possess.