Archive for the Special Libraries Category

What should library staff be paid?

What should library staff be paid?

avg_hrly_wage_by_degreeBased on 5 years of job postings on our own Library Jobline, we’ve found that starting wages for library jobs are stagnant overall (see our Fast Facts). But this is only one piece of the pay equity puzzle: The American Library Association–Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) has published an updated Pay Equity Bibliography. The bibliography includes resources on pay equity, certification, faculty status, gender, and worker competencies, as well as salary negotiation, legislation, and various economic factors. Salary data and statistical information is also provided to help library professionals understand what they are worth. From the report: “The emphasis for items included in the bibliography is on practical rather than theoretical materials and on more recent information on pay equity; however, there are items from previous versions of the Pay Equity Bibliography included. This list is by no means exhaustive.”

Learn more about the Colorado library job market, salary trends, and other workforce topics in our Fast Facts reports.

Are you currently in the job market? Be sure to visit Library Jobline, for job posting from Colorado and beyond (like Texas and Qatar). And for even more job hunting strategies, visit our Twitter feed @libraryjobline where we’ll share tips and tricks using #JobTip.

New research from Pew Internet focuses on the reading/library habits of young Americans

Pew Internet has released their latest findings from their multi-year library research project. Highlights of these findings, which focused on the reading and library habits of young Americans, included:

  • 4 in 5 young Americans ( ages 16-29) read a book in the past year
  • 1 in 5 read an e-book
  • 1 in 10 listened to an audiobook
  • 3 in 5 used the library
  • Young Americans are more likely to read e-books on a cell phone or computer than on an e-reader
  • Nearly half (47%) of young Americans read long-form e-content (books, magazines, newspapers)

When further subdivided by age, Pew researchers found that:

  • High schoolers (16-17) were most likely of the subgroups to have used the library in the past year, to have checked out print books, and/or to have received research assistance
  • College-aged adults (18-24) had the highest overall reading rates
  • Adults in their late twenties (25-29) expressed the greatest appreciation for libraries in general

For more details, see http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2012/10/23/younger-americans-reading-and-library-habits/.

~Linda

Off to a Good Start: A Look at First-Quarter 2012 Statistics from LibraryJobline.org

A recent LRS Fast Facts used statistics from LibraryJobline.org, an online service for job seekers and employers hosted by LRS, to assess the state of Colorado’s library job market in 2011 as compared to previous years. The report showed that after bottoming out in 2009, Colorado has seen a slow but steady increase in the number of library jobs posted per year. Additionally, interest in those positions, as evidenced by the number of views per job, has dropped off. While starting salaries have increased slightly for positions that did not explicitly require an MLIS, the starting salary for positions which did mandate an MLIS were stagnant.

Data from LibraryJobline.org from the first quarter of 2012 suggests good news for those seeking library jobs in Colorado. On average, there have been 33 new jobs posted per month, as compared to 26 jobs per month in 2011—an increase of 27 percent. In contrast to the first quarter of 2011 alone, in which an average of 27 jobs per month were posted, 22 percent more jobs were posted in the first quarter of 2012 (Chart 1).

New jobs posted from January to April of 2012 were viewed an average of 761 times each, a decrease from 1,951 views per posting in all of 2011. This decrease could signify a less competitive job market, although it could be attributed to other reasons, such as the rise in the number of Library Jobline users who receive news about available positions via email, RSS feed, or Twitter.

These “Hot Jobs” were viewed more than any others in the first quarter of 2012:

Librarian, High Plains Library District, Erie Community Library

  • 1855 views
  • $20/hour
  • 30 hours/week

 Senior Librarian, The Denver Public Library, Hampden Branch Library

  • 1828 views
  • $22.05/hour
  • 40 hours/week

 Library Assistant (Substitute), City and County of Broomfield, Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library

  • 1734 views
  • $15/hour
  • On call

Only 22 percent of first-quarter 2012 LibraryJobline.org postings required an MLS or MLIS degree, as compared with 33 percent in all of 2011. Nineteen percent would give preference to candidates with an MLS or MLIS, and 59 percent of all first quarter 2012 postings did not specify any such preference or requirement (Chart 2).

Of 147 jobs that were open (not posted) in the first quarter of 2012, 17 (12%) did not list starting salaries. With those exceptions, the average starting salary for positions that did not require or prefer an MLIS was $19 per hour, or $2 more than the average starting salary for similar positions in 2011. The starting salary for positions that preferred an MLS/MLIS dipped by $2 however, from $21 to $19 per hour. Starting salaries for positions that required an MLS/MLIS rose slightly, from an average of $24 per hour to $24.25.

Data from the first quarter of 2012 does not conclusively show changes, either for the better or worse, to the library job market in Colorado. However, this information does help job seekers and employers to stay abreast of library hiring trends.

~Chelsea

Are you an employer or job seeker? Set up a customized account at LibraryJobline.org, and follow Library Jobline on Twitter: @LibraryJobline.

Clearer Skies Ahead? Using Statistics from LibraryJobline.org to Gauge Changes in Colorado’s Library Job Climate

Data pulled from Library Jobline, the online matchmaking tool for library job seekers and employers maintained by LRS, shows that in 2011, Colorado’s library job market continued to improve for the second consecutive year since the most recent recession.  The average number of jobs posted per month and annually rose from previous years, and starting salaries increased for positions which did not require an MLIS degree.  In addition to examining 2011 data from Library Jobline, this Fast Facts also looks at national trends, using information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the American Library Association, and Library Journal. Click here to read the Fast Facts report in its entirety. Also, an update to this information, discussing Library Jobline data from the first quarter of 2012, can be found here.

~Chelsea

What is the value of an MLIS to you?

Forbes.com recently posted an article on “The Best And Worst Master’s Degrees For Jobs,”  and a Master’s in Library and Information Science was ranked the No. 1 worst degree. These rankings were based on mid-career median pay and estimated rate of growth of careers in 35 popular degrees. The results of our 60-second poll “The Value of an MLIS to You,” however, show a different picture of the degree’s worth, one beyond monetary potential. Those who completed the survey were certainly concerned about the job market and salaries, but our respondents also left lengthy comments about the intrinsic rewards of the profession, and 79% agreed that the degree was worth the time and money invested.

Read the full report with analysis of the comments here, or see the highlights in our Fast Facts report.

~Julie

Edited to add: ALA President Maureen Sullivan has a nice response to the Forbes article in the Washington Post.

Research and Statistics Events at ALA

Are you  interested in finding events related to research and statistics at ALA Annual? Here are some of the sessions that are on our radar:

Friday, June 22:

1:30 pm-3:00 pm ARL Library Assessment Forum

Saturday, June 23:

10:30 am-12:00 pm Write For It! Jump Start Your Research Agenda and Join the Conversation (ALCTS)

1:30 pm-2:00 pm National Statistics for Local Advocacy? You Betcha! (COLA, ORS)

Sunday, June 24:

10:30 am-12:00 pm The Rise of E-Reading (OITP)

10:30 am-12:00 pm PLAmetrics User Group and Demonstration (PLA)

10:30 am-12:00 pm Research on Library Use and Users (LRRT)

1:00 pm-2:30 pm Fun with Numbers: Opportunities and Challenges in Collecting Library Use Data (ALA)

1:30 pm-3:30 pm 18th Annual Reference Research Forum (RUSA)

1:30 pm-3:30 pm Let the Data Talk: Communicating Assessment Results to Stakeholders (LLAMA)

Monday, June 25

10:30 am-12:00 pm Seeing is Believing: Understanding Data Visualization for Library Research (ORS)

1:30 pm-3:30 pm Riding the Publishing Rollercoaster: Practical Strategies from Research to Writing (ACRL)

To see a complete listing of sessions related to research, go to the scheduler and narrow by the subject “Research and Statistics.”

~Linda

 

 

High Traffic, Low Cost: The Colorado Courier Continues to Save Libraries Millions Annually in Shipping Charges

In Fall 2011, we conducted a study of the statewide courier system to determine the quantity and type of materials that libraries were sending via the courier system, and then to estimate, based on these numbers, the system’s cost effectiveness versus using a commercial service. Our results showed that the courier system continues to provide substantial cost savings to participating libraries. Colorado libraries send an estimated 5.9 million items annually via the courier system. Compared with the costs of using a commercial shipping service (USPS, UPS, or FedEx), they save up to an estimated $7.1 million per year by using the courier.

Find out more in the Fast Facts report.

~Linda

CALCON11: It’s time to think outside the box!

Everyone’s heard of thinking outside the box, right? You know-the ability to break out of unconventional thinking and apply innovative ideas to problem solving. Well, now we invite you to explore ways of thinking outside the survey and using innovative methods to learn about the people who use your library.

Please join us at CALCON11 for:

Beyond the Survey: Innovative Techniques for Learning About Your Patrons

Friday, October 14, 2011, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM, Snowberry

We’ll present 10 creative-and often fun-ways to engage your patrons, staff, and community and get the information you need. Bring your ideas, questions, and enthusiasm. We’d like to share our ideas and hear yours.

It’s time to think outside the survey!

~Linda, Lisa, & Nicolle

Our new American Libraries feature article– “Who’s the Boss”–is now available

Last November, we asked you in a 60-second survey to share your opinions about privatization and public libraries. We just published the results of this study as a feature article in American Libraries: “Who’s the Boss? Does Private Management Have a Place in Public Libraries?”. Access the article here. The study’s results were also summarized in an earlier blog post.

Thanks again to everyone who responded to our survey! Your participation and thought-provoking comments provided us with an excellent foundation from which to work as we wrote the article. We’re excited to continue sharing your opinions about hot topics in LIS in future studies.

~Linda

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AL Publishes Article: Booking to the Future

American Libraries will be publishing Jamie Helgren’s (DU-LRS Research Fellow) article on the Future of the Book in their January/February issue. See the article, “Booking to the Future” online now at: http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/features/11302010/booking-future

This article is based on the LRS 60-Second Survey: The Future of the Book conducted earlier this year. Several LRS staff members contributed to the analysis of the data and you can see more about the survey results on the LRS blog and in two Fast Facts issues.

 ~Nicolle

1/5/11 UPDATE
Jamie’s is the cover article for the Jan/Feb issue of  American Libraries. Browse the issue and read the article at:  http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/e8e0bcae#/e8e0bcae/1

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ABOUT

LRS is part of the Colorado State Library, a unit of the Colorado Department of Education. We design and conduct library research for library and education professionals, public officials, and the media to inform practices and assessment needs. We partner with the Library and Information Science program at University of Denver's Morgridge College of Education to provide research fellowships to current MLIS students.

This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

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