ASSOCIATES (vol. 5, no. 3, March 1999) - associates.ucr.edu

        In the fall of 1998, the Library Technical Assistant Section of the Connecticut Library Association, in cooperation with the State Library, surveyed Connecticut's libraries in order to examine Library Assistant staff positions in the state. A two-page survey form was mailed to 1,150 public, school, academic, corporate, and special libraries. 

        A total of 249 survey forms were returned with a response rate of about 22%. A brief summary of the survey results follow.

        About 13% of the responding libraries reported having no Library Assistant positions. The rest of the respondents average 3.3 Library Assistant positions per library. Larger libraries have, on average, more Library Assistant positions than smaller libraries.

        On average, Library Assistant positions tend to be less than full time. Only 41% of reported positions work 35 hours or more per week. In addition, many positions, especially those in school media centers, work less than 12 months per year.

        Most Library Assistants are paid an hourly rate rather than a salary. Comparing their average annual earnings on an hourly basis suggests that salaried Library Assistants earn more than hourly Library Assistants do. Assuming both work 34 hours per week 12 months per year, the salaried Library Assistant would receive $24,831 ($14.04 per hour) compared to the hourly Library Assistant's $19,466 ($11.01 per hour).

        The average hourly wage by library type was reported as follows:

	Academic		$11.79
	Corporate		$14.50
	Public		$10.19
	School		$10.79
	Special		$12.78

        The average wage by state region was reported as follows:

	Region 1 (northwest)		$10.47
	Region 2 (north central)		$12.34
	Region 3 (northeast)		$ 9.46
	Region 4 (southwest)		$12.14
	Region 5 (south central)		$10.26
	Region 6 (southeast)		$11.45

        Most Library Assistant positions include some employee benefits; they are generally not supervisory positions and are not unionized. Among salaried Library Assistants, 68% are union members, while only 23% of hourly Library Assistants are unionized. (This does appear to impact their relative wage levels, with hourly, unionized Library Assistants earning higher pay.) Only 26% of reported Library Assistant positions supervise other library staff; supervisory pay rates are approximately 24% higher than non-supervisory positions.

        Conclusions:  There is a wide range of library assistant positions in Connecticut libraries. Holders of these positions are classified under at least 200 job titles. Larger libraries have more Library Assistant positions, and most positions are in public and school libraries. More than two-thirds of Library Assistant positions are paid hourly rather than salaried, and salaried Library Assistant positions appear to be paid on average more than hourly positions. Positions in academic libraries pay more on the high end than other types of libraries and school libraries pay less on the low end. The majority of Library Assistants receive some employee benefits, with the highest percentage of benefits in academic libraries. Labor union membership is a definite factor in wage scales, and Library Assistants that supervise other staff are generally paid more than non-supervisors.

        The full report titled "A Study of Library Assistant Positions in Connecticut Libraries includes many additional charts, statistics, and useful appendices. The report is available on the CT State Library homepage at http://www.cslib.org/lasurvey.htm


**Report by Leon Shatkin, State Library, summarized by Sandy Brooks, Eastern CT Libraries

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