Equal Pay Day, April 20

April 20 was National Library Workers Day, but it was also Equal Pay Day. The National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) chose April 20th to demonstrate that it takes a woman more than an additional three months to earn what a man earned the previous year. The average wage gap calculated in 2002 is still 77 cents for women for every dollar earned by men. For many women of color, the gap is even higher - 68% for African American women and 56% for Latinas. MORE

AFSCME Salutes Library Workers

The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest union representing librarians and other library workers salutes the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) on its annual National Library Workers Day on Tuesday, April 20. National Library Workers Day is a time to honor the contributions of all library workers, including librarians, support staff and others who make library services possible. National Library Day is part of the celebration of the 2004 National Library Week, which runs April 18–24. MORE

Union Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not purport to be exhaustive coverage on the topic. Answers have been compiled from the sources listed at the end of the article.

What is a union?
A union is a group of workers that join together to increase the strength of their bargaining position with employers on issues such as pay, working conditions, benefits, and job security.

How are unions formed?
Federal laws guarantee workers the right to organize and collectively bargain through representatives of their own choosing. Workers in a company may ask their employer or a federal or state agency, such as the National Labor Relations Board, to hold an election to determine if the majority of workers want to unionize. The agency determines which employees will be covered by the election. Once a vote for a union is won, workers in the bargaining unit will be represented by the union whether they voted for it or not. The bargaining unit may be as local as employees in a company or as broad as employees in an occupation. Workers in the public sector would ask the Federal Labor Relations Authority to oversee the process. (Union FAQs) MORE

Writing Professional Statements

Tips to Help Secure Your Future in Academic Libraries!

By Gerald T. Burke

Being a tenure-track librarian magnifies the challenge of thriving in an already rapidly changing academic library environment. As part of the tenure and promotion process, librarians need to assemble a dossier. An important component of the dossier is the professional statements, sometimes referred to as candidate’s statements or statements of philosophy. These statements should reflect the hard work and accomplishments of a librarian’s emerging career. Articulating these experiences can appear daunting. This article will show librarians how to plan rhetorical and organizational strategies to transform their professional activities into coherent and positive narratives. MORE

The Value of Diversity

By John D. Berry

The language and interpretation of the "D" word, "diversity" is complex and subject to interpretations which do not necessarily equate with the traditional values of the race-based affirmative action of the past.

Now, diversity can be and often is, interpreted as the same thing as multi-culturalism. While this on the face of it is good, it dilutes the intent for racial inclusion and has been broadened to incorporate, for better or worse, gender, sexual orientations, special needs and other issues. MORE

Democracy in Action: Illinois Library Advocacy Day MORE

Strike on National Library Workers Day MORE

Best Search Engine? A Librarian. MORE

A Follow Up to Fair Compensation Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

By Paula M. Singer & Linda Goldberg

Last month’s Library Worklife included background information on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), a complex set of federal wage and overtime regulations, and an overview of upcoming changes to the regulations. Since then, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has published revised regulations, which could, if adopted, have impact on public libraries. This article previews those changes and further clarifies some information relevant to libraries from the first article.

The FLSA sets two basic requirements important for all employers, including libraries:

• Federal Minimum Wage—currently set at $5.15/hour, and
• Overtime—the requirement that employers covered by the Act must pay workers 1-1/2 times the regular rate of pay (premium rate) for all hours worked over 40 in a work week. MORE

Alternative Compensation Plans

Broadbanding and Pay for Performance

By Paula Singer

Of those who were celebrating NLWD:

• 46% had a party
  
• 34% received and gave notes of appreciation and awards
  
• 8% received gift certificates
  
• 50% celebrated in another way MORE

Who’s Blogging?

Blogging is one way library workers are smudging the line between work and life. As you may know, a blog is short for weblog, an online journal. They show up on political websites, electronic magazine sites, and disease related sites as a way to share current information, inspire thought, encourage debate, and express emotions. Some blogs do all of these at once. You will find blog sites that are very personal, informative, interactive, thought-provoking, and funny (perhaps not all at once). Our profession boasts many celebrated bloggers who share their day-to-day activities and concerns with the world. Be careful, writing and reading blogs can be addictive. Enjoy the journey. MORE

Council on Library/Media Technicians (COLT) Annual Conference
Orlando
June 23-25, 2004

ALA Annual Conference
Orlando
June 24-30, 2004