Fay Lambert wearing her famous pink hat. PHOTO/FILE
JAKE BELESKI
Fay Lambert started a media storm when she refused to remove her pink hat while visiting Masterton Library last month, but the avid reader and computer-savvy 78-year-old hasn’t been back there since.
The library has a no-hats policy to discourage would-be thieves from coming into the building.
The policy also aids recognition of thieves captured on the library’s security camera video.
Fay said she still receives plenty of recognition when she is out and about, and the support had been overwhelming.
“A librarian at Martinborough Library contacted me and said I would be welcome down there, even with my hat.
“I haven’t been back to the library here just yet — I wanted to give it a break for a while.”
Fay’s plight was picked up by national media across the country, and she made appearances in several radio and television interviews.
She still believes the problem is a generational issue, and that certain allowances should be made.
“Youngsters with hoodies and caps are used to being asked to take them off,” she said.
“We grew up wearing hats, and it’s a part of our generation.”
Some of her friends had been to Masterton Library and had reported that they were still enforcing the policy, she said.
Despite the tension that had arisen from her situation, Fay said she will be back in the library at some point, even if it means leaving her pink hat at home.
“I will go back to the library, and I won’t wear my hat if they still have the no-hats policy — I will take it off.”
