From the President: Productive Engagement in Salary Equity

Abstract

Former American Library Association President Maurice Freedman launched a campaign of awareness and action during his 2002-2003 tenure. He appointed the Better Salaries and Pay Equity Task Force which published a helpful resource, Advocating for Better Salaries and Pay Equity Toolkit (2003). The task force’s pay equity advocacy program is founded on the reality of a predominately female workforce which is less well paid than those in fields of comparable work dominated by males. Simply defined, pay equity means that all people receive equal pay for work regardless of race or gender. Salaries of librarians regrettably lag behind those of other professions. In 2002, the average estimated salary of librarians was $44,430, according to the U.S. Department of Labor National Occupational Employment and Wages Survey. Pertaining to type of library, the following salaries were posted: