Salary Advocates Recognized by SirsiDynix/ALA-APA Award
Josh Hadro -- Library Journal, 04/02/2009
- $5000 in awards given to two individuals and one library board
- Salary surveys often find library workers underpaid
There is no better way to indicate staff appreciation than to increase the salaries of valued employees. Unfortunately, not all library organizations have the means or wherewithal to effect salary increases, even when warranted. Therefore, to recognize the especially impressive efforts of those who contribute most to salary advocacy and improvement "in a local, regional, or national setting," the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) and ILS vendor SirsiDynix have recently announced the winners of Award for Outstanding Achievement in Promoting Salaries and Status for Library Workers.
This year, two individuals and one library board won the award: the Anderson County Library Board of Clinton, TN; Lynn Sutton, director of Wake Forest University Library, Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Mohamed Ismail of the Integrated Care Society in Cairo, Egypt. According to the APA-APA, "Anderson County will receive $2000, and Sutton and Ismail will each receive $1500."
Salary efforts have big payoff
When the Anderson County Library board found during a statewide salary survey that "courthouse clerks made more than the library director at the largest [Anderson County] library," the board began a systematic campaign to increase wages. "The campaign was a success," notes the ALA-APA, as "workers at every level received a significant increase in the hourly rate."
Similarly, upon review of Wake Forest salary conditions relative to other institutions, Sutton found that "in 2005, librarians were the lowest paid professionals among their peer institutions and were at-will employees with no written contracts." After diligent efforts that included personnel reviews, revised job descriptions, and extensive advocacy, Sutton succesfully raised wages for both exempt and non-exempt workers.
In Cairo, the numbers speak for themselves: due to Ismail's efforts, "[l]ibrarian salaries have risen from Egyptian pounds (EGP) 84 to EGP 1300 monthly, an increase of 1450%; directors earn EGP 3000 (approximately $550)," according to the ALA-APA. In addition, "Ismail ensured that librarians working more than 36 hours per week receive overtime and instituted performance-based bonuses," as well as arranging for training, continuing education, and insurance coverage opportunities.
The winners will be honored at an awards breakfast this summer in Chicago at the American Library Association Annual Conference in July.
In other recent ALA-APA news:
ALA-APA Restructures To Save Money
The ALA-APA, faced with costs outpacing revenue, has been restructured by moving more of APA director Jenifer Grady’s time to ALA activities and half the time of the APA support staff to a grant the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) provided to develop support staff standards.
ALA-APA Will Launch Support Staff Certification Program in 2010, One Year Early
A support staff certification program planned by the ALA-APA should be able to launch in early 2010, a year ahead of schedule, ALA executive director Keith Fiels said at an Executive Board conference call November 17.
