[aisle] Librarian position - statement of support

Thu Nov 17 08:26:57 CST 2022

Hi Joseph,

Unfortunately the $15 minimum wage isn't in effect until 2025. The current
minimum wage in IL is only $12 (set to increase $1 each year until 2025),
which is why the public libraries and schools can legally pay so low.  The
city of Chicago has a separate minimum wage of $15.40, and other counties
have set their own also.  

I 100% agree that this devalues the profession as a whole.  Perhaps this is
something RAILS or ILA can take on as a future initiative - making
communities more aware of the value libraries offer so when they are faced
with a ballot measure they vote in favor of the library. 

Consider filling out this survey for our new Secretary of State and letting
him know what issues you see in libraries as a whole.
https://revupillinois.com/community-survey/  Alexi Giannoulias was on the
Chicago Public Library Board of Directors at one point (not sure if he still
is) so he has some background in this area.

Best,

Gail Meyer, Advocacy Chair

Association of Illinois School Library Media Educators

From: Panozzo, Joseph <jpanozzo at my.dom.edu> 
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 10:20 AM
To: AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion
list <aisle at list.railslibraries.info>
Cc: Karrie Fisher <kfisher at district31.net>; advocacy at aisled.org; Holtz, Alan
C. (BMS) via AISLE <aisle at list.railslibraries.info>
Subject: Re: [aisle] Librarian position - statement of support

Hello Karrie,

My name is joseph Panozzo. We met at the AISLE Convention. Remember, you
came early and you attended Dr. Don Hamerly's presentation with me. I also
presented with Dr. Don about the sole school librarian topic on the next
day.

You are absolutely right about school districts shortchanging K-12 students
with sole district librarians and less than qualified "librarians" serving
schools.

Another issue that isn't spoken about much is the very low pay to part time
employees in public libraries. Check out the RAILS library job postings on
any given day.

https://www.railslibraries.info/jobs

If the state's minimum wage is $15 as touted by political commercials and
the new right to work constitutional amendment about to become law, why are
so many public libraries paying employees less than $15 an hour in today's
society with inflation out of control? I currently (for now) am working
part-time in a public library at a pay rate much less than $15 an hour,
mainly to obtain library experience since I never had a library job before
as being a current MLIS graduate student. 

I know I've been told that librarians don't do it for the money, which I
get. But living expenses, utility bills, rent charges, petrol, and groceries
require increased spending even though part-time library wages are nowhere
near keeping up with the current cost of living. I'd like to see more
advocacy by all of the powers that be to address this ongoing issue that
shouldn't be happening.

If anybody has ideas, please let me know.

Good luck to everyone with their curriculum and Happy Holidays!

Best Regards,

Joseph Panozzo (He/Him/His)

A starving MLIS student

jpanozzo at my.dom.edu <mailto:jpanozzo at my.dom.edu> 

815-315-7686

  _____  

From: AISLE <aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info
<mailto:aisle-bounces at list.railslibraries.info> > on behalf of Karrie Fisher
via AISLE <aisle at list.railslibraries.info
<mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info> >
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 9:56 AM
To: AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion
list <aisle at list.railslibraries.info <mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info>
>
Cc: Karrie Fisher <kfisher at district31.net <mailto:kfisher at district31.net> >
Subject: Re: [aisle] Librarian position - statement of support 

I love that AISLE is doing this!  Having lost my librarian position at a K-5
school and being replaced by a district librarian, I feel the pain of others
whose position is being eliminated.  I was fortunate to get the district
librarian position a week before school started.  That being said, being
sole librarian in a district is not equitable for our students.  There are
so many issues associated with eliminating librarian positions.

Thank you, AISLE for supporting librarians!

Search The
<https://district31.follettdestiny.com/common/servlet/logout.do?tm=>  Card
Catalog

Happily Ever After, 

Karrie Fisher

District Librarian

<https://sdk.bitmoji.com/render/panel/7b0d608b-8b79-4d57-a49f-f15a558f61c8-d
c159846-cab5-4f3c-a689-c965477af402-v1.png?transparent=1&palette=1> 

Winkelman Elementary School * 1919 Landwehr Road * Glenview, IL  60026 *
847-729-5650 

Field Middle School * 2055 Landwehr Road * Northbrook, IL 60062 

847--272-6884

On Tue, Nov 15, 2022 at 9:45 AM Advocacy AISLE via AISLE
<aisle at list.railslibraries.info <mailto:aisle at list.railslibraries.info> >
wrote:

The AISLE Advocacy committee, at the request of a member, has sent a letter
to Homewood-Flossmoor HS District 233, expressing our organization's
disapproval of their decision not to replace a retired librarian and sharing
some of the many losses their students will now incur because of it. 

If you know of a school or district that has eliminated a librarian position
and would like AISLE to let their board of education and administration know
of the downfalls of this decision, please email advocacy at aisled.org
<mailto:advocacy at aisled.org>  

-- 

Gail Meyer, Advocacy Chair

Association of Illinois School Library Educators

MAILMAN_MIMEDEFANG
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