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2005Bling, Bling
1 Comment | Posted by Dave in Library Literature, News, Professional Development
In the new issue of American Libraries (December 2005), Michael Gorman uses his “President’s Message” column to endorse the increase in ALA membership dues. As a small article a few pages later indicates, if a proposal to do so is approved at Midwinter, the issue will go out as a ballot to ALA members. We will either have to agree or disagree to the dues increase.
While his message makes a bow to what he considers “lower-paid librarians,” or those earning less than $25,000 per year, Gorman fails to mention the low, low wages and salaries earned by most professional librarians across the board.
I support the increase and I plan to vote “yes.” But increasingly I recognize that “librarian culture” is often a culture of sacrifice. How can we keep paying more into our professional development and not command higher salaries in return?
1 Comment for Bling, Bling
Author comment by Dave | December 15, 2005 at 11:40 am
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<< RECAP 2005
To follow up on my own post:
The same issue of American Libraries includes a brief summary of the ALA Survey of Librarian Salaries 2005. I’m sure I’m not the only person who was shocked and skeptical at the finding that the mean for librarian salaries is $53,779.
The narrative admits that the range of salaries varies from a low of $14,000 (!) to $175,000 (!!) – quite a tug at the corners, if you ask me. This polarity would appear to skew the averages.
I was also surprised to see that the average salary for “Librarians Who Do Not Supervise” is listed at $47,246, a full $11,000 ahead of the average for “Beginning Librarians” ($36,486). I wonder how beginning librarians make such a leap ahead after they’re done being “Beginning Librarians”?
Do ALA’s findings prove us wrong in our argument that librarians are underpaid? After all, an average salary of nearly $50,000/year certainly isn’t bad for “Librarians Who Do Not Supervise” (which would include many of us, I think).
What say you?