| Volume 4, No. 2 • February
2007
| |
|
|
I want to be in the Spotlight!
Winners of 2006-2007 SirsiDynix–ALA-APA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Promoting Salaries and Status for Library Workers Announced
Three winners were selected for the 2006-2007 SirsiDynix Award at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. These three winners fulfilled the criteria for the award in exceptional ways:
- Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, Florida
- Connie Vinita Dowell, San Diego State University
- Teresa McMahan, Sullivan County Library System, Blountville, TN
MORE
Ignored Too Long: The Benefits of Managing a Library with a Union, Part III
By John Buschman, Steve LaBash, and Dorothy Warner
(This article is adapted from the program sponsored by American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) at the American Library Association Annual Conference in New Orleans on June 25, 2006. This article does not explicitly speak for the authors’ employers, employees or coworkers.)
Nightmare Scenario or Fairness in Action?: A Dismissal
A unionized academic library suffered extraordinary turnover among evening circulation staff: over the course of several years, ten regular staff quit or transferred, and countless interim workers left prematurely. During this time the library administration heard horror stories about a particular circulation employee who worked without supervision. HR hired an evening circulation supervisor so that the library administration could document these concerns. MORE
National Library Workers Day Is Coming Soon!
National Library Workers Day will be Tuesday, April 17, 2007, and it’s time to start thinking about how you will celebrate and draw attention to the work that you do! We have lots of ideas to give you a head start. MORE
Library Lovers Day Is February 14 in Australia
Valentine’s Day has been repurposed in Australia as a day for celebrating all the reasons Australians love libraries—www.librarylovers.org.au. This is the first official year of celebration; could it catch on in the United States? MORE
Best Careers 2007
Original article by Marty Nemko, U.S. News and World Report, December 18, 2006
A December 18 article in U.S. News and World Report identifies librarianship as one of the 25 most desirable careers of 2007. The article cites “reasonable” work hours, varied and challenging work responsibilities, and contact with the community as particularly attractive aspects of librarianship. MORE
University of Hawaii Library Lacks Funding for Books
Original article by Alyssa S. Navares, Ka Leo O Hawaii (University of Hawaii at Manoa), January 26, 2007
The University of Hawaii at Manoa has instituted a hiring freeze of library staff and faculty. The library cannot fill open positions due to drastic budget cuts made necessary by the rising cost of print and electronic publications. MORE
I want to write about Career Advancement!
Got Skills? Skillshares Facilitate Communication among LIS Professionals
By Lana Thelen and Jennifer Lege
On September 16, 2005, the Simmons’ Progressive Librarians Guild (PLG) and Simmons’ American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) co-hosted a Skillshare. The GSLIS Skillshare, held at Simmons College, provided a forum for people from all levels of librarianship to exchange valuable knowledge and skills. ... We wanted our skillshare to pass along knowledge about LIS taught at Simmons and in our work experiences. Simmons LIS students are only required to take twelve courses to graduate from the program, five of which are required. There are a multitude of elective courses to choose from, and this event allowed students the opportunity to learn about topics covered in classes they may not have the time or the money to take. MORE
Professional Development: Online Resources
The University of Texas Austin iSchool offers free, comprehensive workshop downloads that address resume and interview preparation.
Rachel Singer Gordon’s website www.lisjobs.com is an excellent resource for advice about and articles on librarianship. MORE
I want to write about Certification!
CPLA Midwinter Update
After almost a year, there have been many accomplishments to report with regards to the ALA-APA CPLA certification program. Currently, there are 66 candidates from 30 states ... MORE
I want to write about HR Law!
Heard on the Hotline: When May Employees “Volunteer” Services?
By Eric Van Cleven, CCP, SPHR, Director of Compensation and Strategic HR Services
Reprinted with permission from the Management Association of Illinois’ Web site, www.hrsource.org. The article was posted on January 2, 2007.
A member recently posed the following question:
“We are thinking of asking non-exempt employees to come in on a Saturday for 4 hours to organize food and supplies for a local food pantry. We will be serving them breakfast and lunch. If employees volunteer to come in, would we have to pay them for their time?”
MORE
A Clean Bill of Wealth?
Amendments Could Muddy Minimum Wage Legislation
By Tracey Conaty
AFSCME’s Tracey Conaty pleads on behalf of the new minimum wage legislation.
On January 10, as part of the 100 Hours Agenda, the newly‑elected Congress voted overwhelmingly to raise the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years. Thousands of you wrote to your Congressperson to express your support for this measure. Now, we need you to tell your senators to do the same: vote to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, with no anti‑worker amendments. MORE
I want to write about HR Practice!
ALA-APA Union Wiki Is at Your Service
The long-awaited Union Wiki is ready for your reading and editing pleasure. Visit http://ala-apaunion.pbwiki.com and see what you can learn about and add to concerning unions in libraries. MORE
Are You Eligible for a One-Time Refund of Excise Tax on Phone Service?
By Carlon Walker, Esq.
You may not realize it, but the federal telephone excise tax has been part of your telephone bill for years, and you may now be eligible for a one-time tax refund by claiming a special credit on your 2006 federal income tax return... MORE
I
want to write about Salaries & Pay Equity!
Resolution on Minimum Librarian Salary Passed
At the ALA Midwinter Meeting, the ALA-APA Council passed a resolution on a Minimum Librarian Salary of $40,000. The movers were Michael McGrorty, Councilor at Large, and Rob Banks, Kansas Chapter Councilor. MORE
I
want to write about Staff Support!
Tennessee Library Support Staff Want Equitable Compensation, Career Ladders and Continuing Education: TLA Survey Results
By Chris Durman, Music Librarian for Public Services, University of Tennessee Libraries
This article is reprinted with permission. The article was originally published in Tennessee Libraries 56, no. 4 (2006).
Emerging trends, such as the information commons model, e-reference services, e-enhanced patron empowerment features, and the increasing reliance on electronic resources, have allowed support staff to assume duties that were formerly performed only by professional librarians. In many cases, the additional duties that accompany these emerging trends have come with no corresponding increase in compensation. MORE
National Library Technicians Day Celebrated in Australia in May
Just as the ALA-APA encourages the library community to celebrate National Library Workers Day on the Tuesday of National Library Week, so the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) celebrates National Library Technicians Day (NLTD) on the Tuesday of Australian Library Week. MORE
I want to write about Work/Life!
Getting to Know You: How to Effectively Introduce Yourself in a New Job
By Paula Seeger
Whether you start a new job or take on a new role in an old job, you must establish your new position with others. After two recent job transitions, I have found a useful way to introduce myself to the specific people with whom I hope to collaborate in my position. The following formula has brought me success. MORE |
