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Hi Shelen,
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I am the Director at a rural library as well. We start at $13 an hour currently for desk clerks/library assistants, but my FO and I are working on a proposal for next calendar year to hopefully raise that wage to be more competitive. Taco Bell in our town, for example, is starting at $15 ($13 to start, then a $2 raise after the orientation period). I understand the financial restraints on the library, but I've been here 9 months after working in other areas of nonprofit management for many years, and I can tell you I was shocked at how low our wages were during the 2022 calendar year, which I started at the end of. Minimum wage in Ohio is $10.10, which is a huge increase from what it was last year, in response to the inflation and other economical hardships plaguing the nation, especially rural communities, during this time. But from my perspective (and I have a social services background, so I think of things from a more humanistic approach than a business approach), minimum wage is not a living wage, and truthfully I do not believe $13 an hour is a living wage at this point either, when folks are struggling on a $20 an hour income. I would suggest looking up the cost of living in your area; would the wage you pay be enough for someone working full-time to pay for housing, food, transportation, incidentals, and healthcare (especially if you do not offer insurance and they must purchase their own, or a large amount of the insurance cost comes out of their paycheck)? If the answer is "no," or "only if they live with someone else," then the wage is likely too low. Also, I am taking Public Library Management courses online through the University of Michigan, and I learned in my Finance and Budgeting course that, in a public library, wages should account for between 40 and 60 percent (so about half) of your annual budget. What I am finding in my research for raise proposals is that many small, rural public libraries only have wages at 1/4 or less of their budget, so there is likely wiggle room to increase to a more livable income. I hope this perspective helps. I understand you are feeling tired and overwhelmed with this employee's persistence, but I also understand any employee's frustration with a less than livable wage in the current economical climate.
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Thank You,
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Keri Black
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Director
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Wauseon Public Library
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On 08/10/2023 8:36 AM EDT Shelen Stevens via SEO-Members <seo-members@lists.oplin.org> wrote:
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In 24 years of library service I have a new one. I have an employee who wants a raise now. Typically raises are granted in November for the next calendar year. All raises are Board approved. The employee is calling other libraries and asking how much their desk clerks make and telling me that other desk clerks wouldn't even walk in the door for what we are giving. Low is 12, high is 16. This employee also does not like the "other duties as assigned" on job description and feels they do way more than a desk clerk. We are a small rural library. Any help? Or could you tell me what you pay ? I am tired.
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Shelen Stevens
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<p class="default-style">Director<br>Weston Public Library<br>13153 Main Street<br>Weston, Ohio 43569<br>419-669-3415 Voice<br>419-669-3216 Fax</p>
</div> -- SEO-Members mailing list SEO-Members@lists.oplin.org https://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/seo-members
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<strong><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 12pt; color: #ff0000;">Keri Black, MA</span></strong>
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<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">Library Director</span>
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<img id="fe6a0c0b-f2ff-4cc1-a02a-6757bd454f2d" class="aspect-ratio" style="max-width: 100%;" src="cid:fe6a0c0b-f2ff-4cc1-a02a-6757bd454f2d" alt="" width="127" height="127">
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<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">(419) 335-6626</span>
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<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times;">kblack@seolibraries.org</span>
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