I want to be in the Spotlight!

Personal Branding: Taking Control of How the World Frames You

By Kim Dority

How do others see us? Even in 1786, Scottish poet Robert Burns understood that the world “sees us” within a certain frame—a frame that more than 200 years later we might call a personal brand.

What’s a personal brand? In the marketing world, a brand is the collective characteristics that the market attributes to a given product or service. Think of Ben and Jerry’s, Apple, Nike, Target and Estee Lauder. Whether or not we use their products, we associate specific brand characteristics with each. MORE

SirsiDynix—ALA-APA Award Winners Lauded for "Taming Horses" (Raising Salaries) at Networking Breakfast

Those who gathered on Sunday morning were treated to more than a fine breakfast—they were inspired by library managers who worked tirelessly to raise the salaries of their employees in sometimes challenging times. The winners of the 2007 SirsiDynix-ALA-APA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Promoting Salaries and Status of Library Workers were: Alachua County Library District (Fla.), represented by Director Sol Hirsch Connie Vinita Dowell (San Diego State University) and Theresa McMahan (Sullivan County Library System, Tenn.) MORE

SirsiDynix—ALA-APA Award Winners and Jury—Front row: Barbara J. Ford (jury), Connie V. Dowell (winner), Theresa McMahan (winner); back row: Sol Hirsch (winner), John Jessee (jury), Peter McDonald (jury); Jim Wilson (sponsor).

Hiring Freeze, Increased Duties Strain Spokane, WA School Librarians

To offset a 10.8 million budget deficit, Spokane officials plan to reduce library services in several elementary schools. The reductions, which are expected to be completed by August 8, will leave 15 elementary schools with only part-time librarians.

Although the librarians themselves will retain their full-time positions, half will be required to cover two schools—instead of one—or replace full-time librarians who have retired. In 2004 five of Spokane's 34 elementary schools had scaled librarian staffing back to part time. MORE

Contracts Spare Salaries from Budget Cuts, Says Director of Fitchburg Public Library (MA)

Fitchburg officials debate budget cuts that could cause the library to lose state certification, but union contracts will preserve library employees’ salaries.

Budget cuts currently on the table endanger Fitchburg Public Library’s certification. Library Director Ann Wirtanen notes that the library’s $1,083,968 budget is only $755 higher than the state’s “municipal appropriation requirement,” or MAR; if the budget falls beneath the MAR, the library may lose certification and, with it, state funding. MORE

I want to write about Career Advancement!

Taking a Paraprofessional Position with an MLS: Savvy Career Move or Kiss of Death?

By Robert R. Newlen and Teri Switzer

This article is reprinted with permission from LISCareer.com, November 2004.

What would you do in this situation? You have just received an MLS with the goal of quickly obtaining a librarian position after graduation. However, a wide range of circumstances could prevent this from happening. For example, the market for librarians could be very limited and you might not have the flexibility to relocate. In the absence of a librarian position, should you accept a paraprofessional position? MORE

I want to write about Certification!

ALA-APA Certified Public Library Administrator Program Has 76 Candidates and 34 Courses Now

At the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC, the Certified Public Library Administrator Program (CPLA) Certification Review Committee (CRC) approved six candidates and two program courses. The candidates are public librarians from Florida, Kansas, Illinois and Oregon. The new courses in Service to Diverse Communities and Management of Technology will be offered online by the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In addition, 16 candidates who have taken courses since Spring submitted 22 course evaluations which were approved. MORE

I want to write about HR Law!

Pay Discrimination Ruling a Victory for Employers, but Democrats Promise Legislative Fix for Workers

By Chris Martin

Employers won when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in May that a 180-day limit on filing workplace discrimination claims applies to allegations of unequal pay.  But Democrats responded in June by approving legislation that resets the clock with each allegedly unfair paycheck. MORE

The State of Poverty: 12 Ways to Lead the Change

By The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law

What can you and your library do to assist low-income and vulnerable groups?

The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law has compiled a list of twelve “opportunities for action that all antipoverty advocates can take on both the federal and state levels in 2007.” MORE

I want to write about HR Practice!

Can Diversity Be Achieved in Student Staffing ... and Does It Matter?

By Paula Seeger

An academic library may have a short supply of students from which to choose, and the necessity of keeping the circulation desk staffed overrides the desire to choose diverse candidates for the position. But careful planning will allow an academic library to achieve a diverse student staff. MORE

If I Were in Charge! Fourteen Tips for Improving Leadership

By Leann Boyd

“If I were in charge, things would be different.” Easier said than done. The immediate supervisor is blamed for delivering an order that was mandated by higher management. Directors are criticized for policies over which they have no control. When employees are unhappy, they blame the boss. There are practical steps you can take to become a better boss. Mahatma Gandhi said “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” MORE

Working in a Library with Union Employees Governed by Civil Service Regulations

By Dean Corner

Working with unionized employees governed by civil service regulations poses both opportunities and obstacles. I am currently an administrator, but my time as a union employee and unit president certainly provided me with a unique perspective on both contract matters and civil service. My 30 years of experience in New York State involved both city and county governments. MORE

I want to write about Recruitment!

Recruiting Tips to Attract Top Talent

By Kathy Petersen and Eric Palo

Unless your library is in a small isolated community, you are competing with other employers every time you advertise a job opening for your library.  And for professional positions, you are competing against other communities and institutions.

A review of typical job announcements for libraries (and other bureaucratic organizations) usually reveals a dull recitation of job duties and little, if any, attempt to attract a reader’s attention or to entice potential applicants.

In today’s economy, job seekers have more options than ever before, and if you want to attract top talent you must make an effort to make your job vacancy attractive.  So ask yourself, what is attractive to a job seeker?  That depends on the job seeker.  In order to attract the highest number of qualified applicants and have more talented individuals to choose from, spend some time deciding what might attract your ideal candidates. MORE

I want to write about Statistics!

Library Support Staff Salaries: Public vs. Technical Services

By Sandy Brooks, MLS

The ALA-APA Non-MLS Salary Survey is a wealth of information about non-MLS library salaries in the U.S. The 2006 edition represents the first time this survey was distributed.

Job Titles

I used the data in this survey to look at the differences in salaries between traditional Public Services jobs and Technical Services jobs. The survey asked for salary information on 62 different job titles, none of which require an MLS (although staff working in those positions may have an MLS). MORE

I want to write about Work/Life!

The ALA Student to Staff Program at Annual Conferences:Welcome to Librarianship!

By Rebecca Weber, Student at the University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies

Dear Editor:

I had the privilege of participating in the 2007 Student to Staff program at the ALA annual conference. I was assigned to work with Jenifer Grady and ALA-APA. Jenifer and ALA-APA have a mission, as most of you know, to help librarians help themselves by encouraging them to advocate for improving their benefits and salaries. My experience with ALA-APA showed me the real life challenges I will face as a librarian, such as understanding cost of living vs. real salaries and being able to access health insurance benefits. MORE