Midwinter Meeting Update

By Jenifer Grady, ALA-APA Director

Midwinter discussions sparked the beginning of great things to come from the ALA-APA Standing Committee on Salaries and Status of Library Workers. The Committee, chaired by immediate past ALA President Mitch Freedman, accomplished several goals, including an update on activities through January 2004 and the establishment of sixteen subcommittees (listed below).

ALA-APA Advocacy Video and Media Relations Subcommittee is producing an advocacy video. It will highlight the skills required and demonstrate the importance of improving compensation and pay equity for librarians and other library workers. Workers from various types of libraries will be showcased. The video profiles actual library workers, who illustrate the motto of the first annual National Library Workers Day, which is “Libraries Work because We Do.” The 12-minute video will be screened in June during the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, FL.

This year we will honor those who make library service possible every day on National Library Workers Day, which is Tuesday, April 20th, during National Library Week. On this day, libraries are urged to focus on the individuals who are responsible for the myriad of services that take place on the front lines and behind the scenes.

The Union Subcommittee will be hosting a program at the national conference on negotiating for better salaries and is coordinating with the AFL-CIO/ALA Joint Committee on Library Services to Labor Groups. Other subcommittees that met include Statistics, which met with Research and Resources; Academic; Support Staff; and Web Site.

All of the Subcommittees would benefit from your participation. If you are interested, please send an email to Jenifer Grady, jgrady@ala-apa.org , and indicate the committee you’d like to join.

1. Academic
2. Advocacy Video and Media Relations
3. Chapter Relations
4. Diversity
5. Legislative and Advocacy
6. National Library Workers Day
7. Outsourcing and Downgrading
8. Pay Equity
9. Publicity and Publications
10. Research and Resources
11. Schools
12. Statistics
13. Support Staff
14. Training and Workshops
15. Union
16. Web Site

Copyright 2004–2008 ALA-APA. Contact Jenifer Grady, 50 E. Huron, Chicago, IL 60611, 312-280-2424, jgrady@ala.org for more information.