Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Save Ohio Libraries – Week 3 – Waiting on Wednesday edition

It’s Wednesday…and we are still waiting to hear what is going to be the fate of public libraries in Ohio. Yesterday the governor signed a second interim budget. They are still arguing over slot machines. In other words, SSDD.

I’ve another item to add to yesterday’s list of things I find interesting. The Ohio Library Council has on their website a wonderful section of job postings. The OLC Jobline is actually how I found my first position at my current library. Usually there are about a dozen or so postings for library jobs throughout the state. Currently there are two. Both are director positions and were posted before Gov. Strickland’s original budget announcement.

Just to make this a little more interesting, let’s look at the salary portion of the Ida Rupp Public Library director position

Salary Range:$60,000


Yes. $60,000. Now, granted, that is a bit negotiable. Let’s look at what this position entails:

The Ida Rupp Public Library of Port Clinton, Ohio is seeking an innovative and dynamic leader, who is committed to outstanding customer and community service. The library system serves a population of 20,000 with an 18,000 square foot main library, and one full-service branch library. Ida Rupp has a 2009 operating budget of over $800,000, annual circulation of 267,000 items, a patron base of 14,000, and thirty employees (13 FTE).

The Ida Rupp Public Library Board will select a candidate with a vision for the future, leadership skills, strong interpersonal skills, experience meeting the challenges of a diverse community, strong skills in developing community relations, and the ability to work with a dedicated staff committed to providing excellent service. Experience with and/or interest in actively leading an operating levy campaign is essential.

Port Clinton is a wonderful community on the shores of Lake Erie. The library's branch, the Erie Islands Library, serves as both a school and a public library and is located on beautiful South Bass Island, accessible by plane and ferry.

Qualified candidates will have an MLS from an ALA accredited institution and a minimum of five years of professional administrative experience in a public library. Excellent benefits. Salary is negotiable from $60,000 based on experience.


Granted, this is a smaller library; however, $60,000 is a far cry from the supposed $100,000+ that library directors in Ohio make. Also, if the director can only hope to make around $60,000, what are the clerks, pages and other library employees making?

Not a whole heck of a lot, I bet.

Just to point out a few other things...the position requires a Master degree and a minimum of five years of professional public library administrative experience. One can imagine that the qualified applicant would have many more years of progressive library experience. Usually one does not start in administration once they hold a MLS degree.

But, we library workers are just rolling in the salaried dough, right?

1 comment:

Sharon said...

60k really is not a lot of money to be the manager of the entire library. At least not in my world.

Slot machines.. such a touchy subject. They could potentially make up some of the money in the budget, but then at the same time, there are issues with addiction, people with no money wasting it there, etc etc.

Definitely something that the people should have a say on, not just the Gov.