Ms. Gates,

 

Thank you for sharing.  The income disparity we are facing as a profession is sobering and problematic, especially when we consider the academic cost we shouldered to get into our positions.  I cannot help but recall the outrage felt within the Art History world when President Obama stated, "You folks can make a lot more, potentially, with skilled manufacturing or the trades than they might with an art history degree."  As a profession I hope that we can better translate our value at every opportunity possible… starting with unpaid internships and salary negotiation.  I also hope that we can do more as a professional organization to achieve this goal and vocalize our wishes for all of those we work with to be better compensated.  Perhaps we could put together salary recommendations, such as those provided by ALA?  Please see the link below and note that it dates to 2008.  I think we all need to be more honest about the inadequate salaries many of us live on.  If we had sophisticated documentation to present to the salary decision makers, we could have a better foundation to work from. 

 

Minimum Salaries by State

http://ala-apa.org/improving-salariesstatus/resources/minimum-salaries-by-state/

At ALA’s Annual Conference 2008, the ALA-Allied Professional Association: the Organization for the Advancement of Library Employees (ALA-APA) Council adopted a resolution to endorse a minimum salary for professional librarians of not less than $41,680 per year.

 

I would love to be a change agent on this front.  Let me know if you are interested.

 

 

 

The Pew Research Center has published a rather sobering chart for us librarians:

 

Chart of the Week: Do firefighters or musicians have richer parents?

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/03/21/chart-of-the-week-do-firefighters-or-musicians-have-richer-parents/

 

Check out where Archivists, Curators and Librarians fall!

 

Leigh Gates

Director of Library Services

Harrington College of Design

200 W. Madison St.

Chicago, IL 60606

312.697.8021 P

312.697.3318 Front Desk

 

www.harrington.edu

 

"There is no such thing as information overload—only bad design." Edward Tufte

 

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