Leslie Burger

I began my career at the age of sixteen as a library page at the Bridgeport (Conn.) Public Library working for $1.25 an hour. Despite the drudgery associated with shelving books in dusty old stacks and all the men peeking up our skirts through the glass floors, I knew that working in a library was where I wanted to be. I also knew, at that young age, that becoming a librarian would not make me a wealthy woman. I’ve never regretted my decision but I’ve never been one to sit back when I see a situation that needs a solution. Our need to improve the salaries of all library workers is more urgent than ever.

During my tenure as president of the New Jersey Library Association, I led a statewide effort to improve library worker salaries by completing a comparable-worth survey and salary tool kit. Much of NJLA’s work became the model for the activities that took place in ALA’s Better Salaries Task Force. I served as a member of the ALA-APA Transition Team that developed the organizational framework for today’s ALA-APA. Our library staff was featured in the ALA-APA video "For Love or Money," speaking articulately about the need to improve salaries.

The Princeton Public Library’s salaries have increased significantly during my five years as director. Our staff is among the most highly paid in New Jersey, a feat we’ve been able to accomplish by always making a good case, working with the right people and through downright persistence.

ALA Past President Mitch Freedman said it best, "Library workers cannot live on love alone." Most of us love what we do and look forward to going to work every day. The work we do changes people’s lives everyday in significant and subtle ways. Yet, our salaries do not match the value of the services we provide to society. As ALA President I will continue the important work Mitch and his Better Salaries Task Force began to ensure that all librarians and library workers are well compensated, highly regarded, and recognized as vital to the communities they serve.

The establishment of ALA-APA was an important first step to launching our work on the salary front, but starting a new organization is difficult and not without risk. We must provide the resources (financial, human and otherwise) needed to ensure that ALA-APA achieves its goals and succeeds as an organization.

As ALA President, I will work closely with the ALA-APA Standing Committee on the Salaries and Status of Library Workers to promote better salaries, comparable worth, pay equity and other programs that will help increase recognition for what we do. I will work with ALA units, divisions, chapters and library educators to step up our efforts to recruit the best and brightest to the profession and support the ALA-APA certification program to improve professional practice throughout our careers. Whenever possible, I will seize opportunities to speak out loudly and clearly about these issues.

In these challenging times, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that the work of ALA-APA continues so we can use the collective power of our members to educate and inform our communities about the value of our work and the need for compensation that reflects our contributions. I remain committed to the cause and eager to work with our members to advance our progress.

Christine Lind Hage

The challenges to American libraries have never been greater than in these times of shrinking civil liberties, limited budgets, emerging technologies, and expanding responsibilities for library workers. This new century of opportunity calls the ALA-APA and its supporters to lend their expertise to helping libraries and library workers serve diverse populations with ever increasing information needs. ALA-APA can accomplish this important work by attracting, retaining and retraining library workers so the profession can meet those ever changing needs.

As President of ALA-APA, I would work tirelessly to lead and support our professional mission and calling to improve working conditions that will help our workforce enrich lives through libraries and library services. I will work with library educators and trainers to make sure that our certification programs are appropriate to the profession’s practical needs and at the same time meet the highest standards of educational training. I will work with library administrators to develop and distribute recruitment materials that will honestly promote the exciting and important work that takes place in our libraries.

I recognize that the President of ALA-APA speaks for the association on a wide range of topics. I would be ready and willing to speak on behalf of the Association on any issue including:

• Improved Salaries—Librarians and library workers perform important work and services for patrons, the community, and all society. It is therefore only fair that their valuable contribution be recognized with fair and equitable compensation in the form of wages and other benefits. It is appropriate for ALA and ALA-APA to articulate, publicize, and champion the valuable resources and important services that libraries and library workers contribute to our society.
  
  Although ALA-APA should dedicated itself to making the public aware of the value of librarians and library workers, the initiative and effort to improve salaries and other compensation is a local issue shaped by local circumstances. Library administrators and boards responsible for preparing and approving library budgets should make every effort to insure that all compensation offered to library professionals and staff is equitable compared to similar employment positions in that community.
  
  Library wages should be attractive enough to draw the best candidates for each job position and fair enough to reward, encourage, and retain workers once library employees are on the job. The high costs of staff turnover (e.g. recruitment, hiring and training) make it a smart investment for communities to compensate productive and dedicated workers so that library employees stay with and improve their local libraries, residents and culture.
  
  Better funding of libraries in general facilitates fair compensation for all library workers. It is the responsibility of library directors and governing bodies to make sure library workers’ wages are competitive and in line with the cost of living in the locale. It is the responsibility of ALA to support them in that important endeavor.

• Recruitment - Recruitment of a new generation of diverse, well-educated, and professionally dedicated librarians is one of the most pressing issues facing the profession and the association today. ALA estimates that 58% of current librarians will reach age 65 by the year 2019. Already there are notable shortages of librarians in several areas of the county.
  
  At the same time, there is a serious disconnect with the very same generation of librarians we so urgently need. ALA and ALA-APA must address the limited job opportunities for librarians in many areas and unreasonably low starting salaries. ALA and ALA-APA must also cultivate a better appreciation in the public and profession for the value of developing a diverse population of library leaders and professionals.
  
  I support:

• ALA Spectrum Initiative;

• ALA Recruitment Assembly’s efforts to develop a clearinghouse of best practices and resources for recruitment, retention and mentoring across all divisions;

• Creating a NextGen/New Librarian task force to develop a plan to increase the "next" generation’s voice and participation in ALA and to help shape its future;

• Encouraging conference programming to address succession planning, mentoring, and developing a diverse workforce.

My past experiences and leadership at the local, national, and international levels will allow me to effectively be the voice of the Association on the full spectrum of issues as well as identify and use the association’s membership’s wide expertise. ALA and ALA-APA are endowed with members and supporters who are active in various divisions, units and committees and represent the full range of library experiences, age categories, ethnicities, religions, political view points and sexual orientations. As President I would value and work with this diverse expertise, vision, and energy to lead us into the next century of challenges and opportunities. I ask for your support and invite you to visit my website at: www.christinelindhage.net.