Library Worklife

Volume 2, No. 3 • March 2005

ALA-APA News

National Library Workers Day Is Tuesday, April 12

How Will Your Library Celebrate?

The American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA), an organization that advocates for improving the salaries and status of librarians and support staff, is sponsoring the second annual National Library Workers Day (NLWD) on Tuesday, April 12, during ALA-sponsored National Library Week (April 10–16). NLWD is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers—including librarians, support staff and others.

The theme for National Library Workers Day is “Libraries Work Because We Do,” which focuses on how library services depend on the important work done by each library staff member and department. Libraries may customize the first slogan by adding the library’s name to the beginning; for example, Goodpay Public Library Works Because We Do. Libraries also are invited to use the slogan “We work @ your library®” to tie into ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries.

Libraries are encouraged to use National Library Workers Day to focus on individuals or units responsible for the number of materials selected, acquired, cataloged, checked out and back in, and shelved; for handling requests and sending them to other libraries; for answering reference questions; for planning, publicizing and presenting programs; for developing and maintaining the library’s Web site; for managing the library and for other elements of library service.

Celebrations last year included parties, notes of appreciation, awards, gift certificates and gifts like book-shaped cookies and solar calculators inscribed with “Thank you for your service.” One library used the day to announce new staff services like development programs and newsletter upgrades. Another created a large wall mural with a panel for each staff member and what they do in the library.

Customizable tools and materials to help libraries promote National Library Workers Day are available on the ALA-APA Web site. Resources include English and Spanish versions of a proclamation, sample letter to the editor, op-ed article, radio PSAs and a sample press release. Also posted are programming ideas, such as employee recognition days and behind-the-scenes tours of the library. Buttons proclaiming “Libraries Work Because We Do,” are available for $5 each from the ALA-APA Web site.

This year, National Library Workers Day is the week prior to Equal Pay Day, established by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE), a coalition of national organizations to which ALA belongs. Equal Pay Day, on April 19th, is closely related to NLWD because libraries are staffed predominately by women, and library workers tend to be underpaid. Equal Pay Day highlights the gap between the wages of men and women. For more information, see the NCPE Web site.

Press materials, programming suggestions and display ideas to help promote National Library Week can be found on the Campaign for America’s Libraries Web site in both English and Spanish. The theme for 2005 is “Something for everyone @ your library®.” Click on the National Library Week icon. The site includes a link to National Library Week products available from ALA Graphics, including a poster, bookmark, window cling, library holder, and CD of customizable artwork.

New Issue of Woman’s Day Features "Librarians for a Day" and "Put It in Writing @ Your Library"

The March 8, 2005, issue of Woman’s Day magazine shadows two readers who wanted to spend a day in the life of a librarian. The article, titled "Bookworms," shows and tells how the two women spent the day in their local public libraries, and the variety of activities they participated in and their impressions. Five hundred people responded to the offer: In 700 words or fewer, let us know what the library means to you and why you’d like to be a librarian for a day.

On April 12, which is National Library Workers Day, the article lists several libraries across the nation that will be hosting writing workshops in honor of the fourth annual Put It in Writing @ Your Library celebration, sponsored by Woman’s Day and the American Library Association.

Four Members Elected to ALA Executive Board and ALA-APA Board of Directors

Francis J. Buckley Jr., Terri G. Kirk, June A. Pinnell-Stephens, and Patricia H. Smith have been elected to serve on the American Library Association (ALA) Executive Board and the ALA-APA Board of Directors (interlocking boards). The new board members were elected by the ALA Council in a vote taken at the 2005 ALA Midwinter Meeting held January 14–19 in Boston.

Buckley, Pinnell-Stephens, and Smith will each serve three-year terms beginning in June 2005 and concluding in June 2008. Kirk was elected to complete the unexpired term of board member Michael Gorman, who was elected ALA president-elect. Kirk took her seat on the board immediately upon election and will serve through June 2006.

Nominate Your Institution for the EEOC Freedom to Compete Award

Time is running out to nominate your institution for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Freedom to Compete initiative. This is a national outreach, education and coalition-building campaign to emphasize the importance of providing free and unfettered access to employment opportunities for all individuals. Essays, of 1000 words or less, describing a practice—innovative leadership; outreach; education; recruitment; training and development; promotion; retention; and/or mentoring—that has been in place for at least one year, must be submitted by March 18, 2005.

The initiative was launched by Chair Cari Dominguez in 2002. Its central theme is that employees and applicants deserve the opportunity to compete on a level playing field, and advance in the workplace as far as their talents and abilities will take them, without regard to discriminatory barriers based on race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age or disability. As part of the initiative, the EEOC has been forging strategic alliances and partnerships with CEOs, employer associations, and a cross-section of other stakeholders to influence positive change in the workplace.

The EEOC seeks to showcase, recognize, and reward specific practices and concrete activities that produce results and reflect an abiding commitment to access and inclusion in the workplace. The award will recognize excellence in the implementation of specific equal employment opportunity practices that the Commission believes can be emulated by other employers or organizations. This distinguished award will honor individuals and organizations whose extraordinary efforts embody the theme of the Freedom to Compete Initiative.

Public and private sector employers, corporations, associations, federal and state and local agencies, organizations, or other entities are eligible to apply. In particular, the EEOC encourages small businesses to apply.

Entities may nominate themselves or nominations may be made by another person or organization.

Nominees must have implemented a specific practice that has demonstrated results in providing equal opportunities for employment. The award will recognize specific practices rather than broad-based programs. The nominee should include a description of how the practice increased access, inclusion, or promotional opportunities for qualified workers. The nominee may also wish to describe how the practice dealt with actual, potential, or perceived barriers to free and fair workplace competition. The EEOC will look for the concrete steps to implement the practice; the specific actions taken and the results achieved from implementing the practice; and the commitment and involvement provided at the highest level of the organization. The practice must involve one or more of the following: innovative leadership; outreach; education; recruitment; training and development; promotion; retention; and/or mentoring.

Nominations will be evaluated by the EEOC, with final award determinations made by the EEOC Chair. The awards will be presented by the Chair and Commissioners during an award ceremony in Washington, D.C., tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 14, 2005.

A recipient of the Freedom to Compete Award must be willing to participate in programs, meetings, or other collaborative efforts with the EEOC to publicize the award-winning effort and share information to assist other entities seeking to replicate the success achieved from the award-winning effort. Since a critical component of an application is a description of the executive-level commitment to, and involvement in, the development or implementation of the practice, participation in joint events with the EEOC Chair or Commissioners is expected to include CEOs or the next available highest-level executive within the company or organization.

All nominations must be received by the EEOC no later than March 18, 2005, and may be sent by e-mail (preferred) in a Word or WordPerfect format to Freedom.Award@eeoc.gov. Nominations may also be sent by standard mail or otherwise delivered to:

Jay Friedman
EEOC, Office of Research, Information and Planning
1801 L Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20507

If the nomination is submitted by standard mail, please allow sufficient time for the EEOC to receive it by the due date. The EEOC anticipates selecting five to seven recipients of the award, who will be notified in May.

University of South Florida Faculty Contract Update

In the December 2004 issue (1, no. 12), Library Worklife reported that the faculty of the University of South Florida had ratified the proposed collective bargaining agreement negotiated between UFF and the USF administration. The negotiated contract, as reported by the Jan./Feb. 2005 United Faculty of Florida Update, includes an expansion of academic freedom protections, including placing responsibility on the administration to address problems before they escalate. Other wins were the inclusion of sexual orientation in the nondiscrimination provision, promotions provided from the university’s discretionary funds rather than the salary pool, and substantial pay increases.

Have some news? Send it to the Editor.