[Publib] WI Librarians Demoted: "Librarians today do lesscomplexwork"

[Robert L. Balliot]

Greetings,

 

I am not sure what you would define as 'fair'.  I think most library
director

positions come with an implied 'damned if you do and damned if you don't'

clause.  

 

The dollar value, ROI of a well-run library is seven or eight to every

tax dollar spent.  No other government entity can make the same claim.

However, they are able to demand funds based on fear, based on claims

of perceived public good, and by shear numbers of employees.  

 

Every year the padding alone in the school department budget 

can be at least equal to the entire PL operating budget.  

Police and fire will reap the bounty of HS fear.  And, administrative 

overhead increases for finance and technology will go unquestioned.  

 

In order to go along to get along, you can go through 'reorganization'

and get a hefty pay raise for being willing to implode your staffing, or

you can sell your services and compete with the other government

entities.  Competing may not secure your director position.  But, it

seems to me that is the risk of doing the job well.

 

As I think about the implications of this story along with the issues in

Memphis, it only furthers my belief that the ALA needs to become

much more focused on supporting local libraries, rather than national

bureaucracy.  I think if Directors felt that they were backed by ALA

that they might be better able to risk their own jobs on behalf of their

libraries and staffs.

 

*************************************************

Robert L. Balliot

1-401-441-5763

Skype: RBalliot

Bristol, Rhode Island

http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm

*************************************************

  _____  

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Mary Soucie
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 12:46 PM
To: Blake Carver; publib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Publib] WI Librarians Demoted: "Librarians today do
lesscomplexwork"

 

As a director who went through a reorganization 1 1/2 years ago, I want to
be fair to this director. There may be a lot of factors taht we don't know
about. I know when we made the decision to move most positions to part time
there was a lot of miscommunication out in the community about why we did
it. 

 

Having said that, I don't agree that our tasks are getting less complicated.
Our patrons are definitely best seller fans also but we are creating new and
different services to meet their needs. Our programs reflect that, as do our
increased efforts in Reader's Advisory. That's adding to my staff's
workload- without removing a whole lot.

 

Mary J. Soucie, MLIS

Library Director
Wilmington Public Library District

Visit the world @ your libraryT

201 S Kankakee St, Wilmington IL 60481
815-476-2834 Phone
815-476-7805 Fax
 <mailto:mjsoucie at wilmingtonlibrary.org>
mailto:mjsoucie at wilmingtonlibrary.org 

 

Wilmington Public Library District is committed 

to providing excellent comprehensive service to 

its community.

 

  _____  

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Blake Carver
Sent: Fri 2/22/2008 8:30 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] WI Librarians Demoted: "Librarians today do less
complexwork"

I just posted This one From The Wausau Daily Herald - Wausau,WI to LISNews

http://lisnews.org/node/29261

A move that the Marathon County Public Library director considers a
step toward the future has librarians concerned about the quality of
library services, as well as their own pay and work environment. The
Marathon County Public Library Board of Trustees voted Monday to
eliminate the library's four "librarian 1" positions, one of them
vacant, in favor of creating three customer service librarian
positions and one lead customer service librarian spot. The three
librarians whose jobs the board cut will be offered the customer
service librarian positions, which pay about $10,000 less annually.

The reorganization also aims to meet the ever-changing needs of
customers, she said. Librarians today do less complex work, she said
-- calling for pay adjustments and more technological assistance.

"We're really becoming a community center," she said. "Our public has
different requirements of us."

--------------
Blake Carver
LISNews.org
http://www.lisnews.org <http://www.lisnews.org/> 
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