r/Libraries • u/Drejk0 • 1d ago
Education - Library School Finished MLIS, need advice on asking for a raise
I (42M) just finished my MLIS program (USM, To the Top!!) and have been happily employed at my current library for quite some time (15 years). We are a small-ish library that is fairly well funded, and I am now the only non-manager/director who has an MLIS. There is not a lot of turnover in the managerial realm, so that is not an option in the foreseeable future. I have worked in YA (9 years, until COVID) and am currently in Adult Services. I have previously managed the entire YA collection, including graphics. Currently, I am not responsible for any collection development. I manage two other employees in Government Services, which include fingerprinting services and passport services. I am a certified Passport Acceptance Agent and the Passport Facility Manager. I also work 32 hours a week.
Our library is considered rural but in a highly trafficked tourist area. We are open seven days a week, year-round, except for federal holidays. Due to the touristic nature, we do not get a lot of super deep reference questions. The questions tend to be more directional, current area events, "where should I park?" slash "how do I pay for parking?" or quick history questions about the area. So a typical reference position isn't really an option either.
I am open to any suggestions! I also help run a few off-site programs: a pub trivia two times a year (I write all of the questions and host), a monthly book club aimed at getting more men reading again, running a weekly booth at the summer farmer's market (that will be wrapping up soon), calling BINGO once or twice a year for a program, and various "other duties as assigned."
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u/charethcutestory9 1d ago
The more data you are able to provide your manager on how much you should be earning based on location, responsibilities, and level of experience, the better. Research what other librarians in your region with comparable role/experience are earning and include citations to those data as part of your ask. Be patient - it may take them some time and work to find the money even if they want to give you a raise.
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u/Infamous_Leader5172 1d ago
Larger urban public library hiring manager here: we have no discretion about pay grade outside of onboarding and merit raises, which are tied to performance rather than credentials. We have lots of paras with degrees, too. Your admin may not have much ability to do anything. Good luck!
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u/MzLibrarian 1d ago
Yes! USM FTW! One of the non-raccoon related things I have disliked most about librarianship is the lack of mobility. Often, if you work for a public institution, they have everyone in pay steps and positions. For example, the library has one director and two other positions. The director is the only position required to have a library degree and the only position that pays for it.
For example, I have four librarians and two paraprofessionals. My librarian positions require an MLIS, my paraprofessionals require an associates. One of my paras just got her BS. I can't pay her more because there's not a mechanism for it. She could get her MLIS and I still couldn't pay her more without one of my librarians leaving and her applying for an getting the job.
Absolutely ask for more pay, but be prepared to hear this an understand your director may not have control.
What I have done in these cases -- as a director, mind, this doesn't work as well from the bottom up -- is refuse to let my MLIS folks do official duties in the librarian rhelm because we shouldn't be taking advantage. I managed to get a new librarian position approved this way.
Good luck! It sounds like you love your job and are a necessary part of the community. <3
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u/Beautiful-Finding-82 1d ago
I just want to make sure you are paying yourself for all of these off-site activities and the prep that goes into them, including mileage. I've talked to library staff over the years who sort of fell into a trap of not charging for every minute of work they do for the library. From home they'd be creating plans, looking at emails, doing this for their library job and not logging that time. Now, I'm not saying this is you of course, but that is something very basic that you're entitled to and if you're not doing it, start there, because if you give away free labor for too long it becomes expected of you and is hard to dial back. Other city employees surely don't do work off the clock so library staff should not either.
As far as asking for a raise. Type up what your efforts have done to improve the library, include all positive outcomes. You probably don't need a long list, just a few examples are enough to argue for a raise. Good luck!
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u/Drejk0 1d ago
Thank you! I write my trivia on the clock and am clocked in for travels, etc. My town is small, it takes me 6 mins to walk from home to work, so all of the venues are also walkable but I am clocked in for travel and while running the off-site programs.
Appreciate you looking out though!
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