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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Joseph,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Consider filling out this survey for our new Secretary of State and letting him know what issues you see in libraries as a whole. <a href="https://revupillinois.com/community-survey/">https://revupillinois.com/community-survey/</a> 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Best,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Gail Meyer, Advocacy Chair<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Association of Illinois School Library Media Educators<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Panozzo, Joseph <jpanozzo@my.dom.edu> <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, November 15, 2022 10:20 AM<br><b>To:</b> AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion list <aisle@list.railslibraries.info><br><b>Cc:</b> Karrie Fisher <kfisher@district31.net>; advocacy@aisled.org; Holtz, Alan C. (BMS) via AISLE <aisle@list.railslibraries.info><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [aisle] Librarian position - statement of support<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Hello Karrie,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>You are absolutely right about school districts shortchanging K-12 students with sole district librarians and less than qualified "librarians" serving schools.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><a href="https://www.railslibraries.info/jobs">https://www.railslibraries.info/jobs</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>If anybody has ideas, please let me know.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Good luck to everyone with their curriculum and Happy Holidays!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Joseph Panozzo (He/Him/His)<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>A starving MLIS student<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><a href="mailto:jpanozzo@my.dom.edu">jpanozzo@my.dom.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>815-315-7686<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=2 width="98%" align=center></div><div id=divRplyFwdMsg><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>From:</span></b><span style='color:black'> AISLE <<a href="mailto:aisle-bounces@list.railslibraries.info">aisle-bounces@list.railslibraries.info</a>> on behalf of Karrie Fisher via AISLE <<a href="mailto:aisle@list.railslibraries.info">aisle@list.railslibraries.info</a>><br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, November 15, 2022 9:56 AM<br><b>To:</b> AISLE-Share: Association of Illinois School Library Educators discussion list <<a href="mailto:aisle@list.railslibraries.info">aisle@list.railslibraries.info</a>><br><b>Cc:</b> Karrie Fisher <<a href="mailto:kfisher@district31.net">kfisher@district31.net</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [aisle] Librarian position - statement of support</span> <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>Thank you, AISLE for supporting librarians!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'><a href="https://district31.follettdestiny.com/common/servlet/logout.do?tm=" target="_blank">Search The Card Catalog</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>Happily Ever After, </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>Karrie Fisher</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>District Librarian</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=96 height=96 style='width:1.0in;height:1.0in' id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://sdk.bitmoji.com/render/panel/7b0d608b-8b79-4d57-a49f-f15a558f61c8-dc159846-cab5-4f3c-a689-c965477af402-v1.png?transparent=1&palette=1" alt="Bitmoji Image"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>Winkelman Elementary School * 1919 Landwehr Road * Glenview, IL 60026 * 847-729-5650 </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>Field Middle School * 2055 Landwehr Road * Northbrook, IL 60062 </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>847--272-6884</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Tue, Nov 15, 2022 at 9:45 AM Advocacy AISLE via AISLE <<a href="mailto:aisle@list.railslibraries.info">aisle@list.railslibraries.info</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal>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. <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><br>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 <a href="mailto:advocacy@aisled.org" target="_blank">advocacy@aisled.org</a> <br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>-- <o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Gail Meyer, Advocacy Chair<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Association of Illinois School Library Educators<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal>MAILMAN_MIMEDEFANG<br>_______________________________________________<br>AISLE mailing list<br><a href="mailto:AISLE@list.railslibraries.info" target="_blank">AISLE@list.railslibraries.info</a><br><br>For list archives and subscription options, visit:<br><a href="http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aisle" target="_blank">http://list.railslibraries.info/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aisle</a><br><br>To unsubscribe, send a message to:<br><a href="mailto:aisle-leave@list.railslibraries.info" target="_blank">aisle-leave@list.railslibraries.info</a><br><br><a href="https://www.aisled.org/" target="_blank">https://www.aisled.org/</a><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div></div></div></body></html>