College and Research Libraries


By V I V I A N R . B O U G H T E R 

Salaries, W o r k Week, Vacations, Benefits, 
And Privileges of College Librarians 

TH E O R I G I N A L P U R P O S E of this study was to o b t a i n i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t 
vacations of professional staff m e m b e r s 
of colleges c o m p a r a b l e in size to the 
W e s t Virginia state colleges. T h e only 
recent article o n vacations listed in 
Library Literature1 deals w i t h colleges 
larger t h a n most of the West Virginia 
colleges. T h e statistics p u b l i s h e d a n n u -
ally in CRL d o n o t i n c l u d e the l e n g t h 
of the vacation periods. Also, because of 
the confidential n a t u r e of the informa-
tion, statistics s u b m i t t e d for p u b l i c a t i o n 
may n o t be representative of the g r o u p . 

Salaries a n d t h e l e n g t h of the work 
week have an obvious r e l a t i o n to vaca-
tions. T h e o t h e r items in this study 
were i n c l u d e d because they have a bear-
ing o n the status of the college l i b r a r i a n . 

Q u e s t i o n n a i r e s were sent to all col-
leges accredited by the N o r t h C e n t r a l 
Association h a v i n g e n r o l l m e n t s between 
500 a n d 2000. Q u e s t i o n n a i r e s were also 
sent t o all o t h e r accredited colleges of 
the same size in states b o r d e r i n g o n 
West Virginia a n d to all West Virginia 
colleges, except West Virginia Univer-
sity, regardless of size or accreditation. 
The World Almanac 1956 was used f o r 
e n r o l l m e n t figures. 

Of 217 q u e s t i o n n a i r e s mailed, 153 
were r e t u r n e d a n d 150 (69 per cent) 
were filled o u t . Eighty-four were f r o m 
private colleges, 64 f r o m state colleges, 
a n d 2 f r o m m u n i c i p a l colleges. T h e in-

1 Robert H . Muller, "Work Week, Vacations, and 
Salaries in Medium-Sized Universities and Colleges," 
CRL, X V (1954), 84-86. 

Mrs. Boughter is Librarian, West Lib-
erty State College, West Liberty, W. Va. 

f o r m a t i o n given covers the same period 
as t h a t covered by the statistics p r i n t e d 
in CRL f o r J a n u a r y , 1957, b u t only 80 
of the 150 colleges r e s p o n d i n g were in-
cluded in the A C R L r e p o r t . 

O n l y 67 of the private colleges a n d 55 
of the state a n d m u n i c i p a l colleges gave 
i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t salaries. I n the pri-
vate colleges the salary of the h e a d li-
b r a r i a n ranges f r o m $2730 to $7500 w i t h 
a m e a n of $4868 a n d a m e d i a n of $4867. 
H e a d l i b r a r i a n s fare m u c h b e t t e r in 
publicly s u p p o r t e d colleges w i t h a r a n g e 
of $3700 to $9220, a m e a n of $5784, a n d 
a m e d i a n of $5490. T h e a c t u a l g a p be-
tween salaries in private a n d publicly 
s u p p o r t e d colleges may be even greater 
t h a n the figures indicate because most 
of the latter n o t s u b m i t t i n g d a t a a b o u t 
salaries have h i g h salary scales. 

Salaries of assistant l i b r a r i a n s in pri-
vate colleges r a n g e f r o m $1700 to $5500 
w i t h a m e a n of $3908 a n d a m e d i a n of 
$4050. I n state a n d m u n i c i p a l colleges 
the range is f r o m $3200 to $6240, the 
m e a n $4852, a n d the m e d i a n $4851. 

U n f o r t u n a t e l y in m a n y i n s t i t u t i o n s 
salaries of l i b r a r i a n s are n o t c o m p a r a b l e 
to those of o t h e r faculty m e m b e r s w i t h 
e q u a l t r a i n i n g a n d experience. Profes-
sional library staff m e m b e r s in only 53 
(63 per cent) of the private colleges a n d 

43 (64 per cent) of the state a n d mu-
nicipal colleges are p a i d o n the same 
basis as t h a t of o t h e r faculty members. 
T e n o t h e r private colleges a n d 4 state 
colleges pay the h e a d l i b r a r i a n and, in 
some instances the assistant l i b r a r i a n , on 
the same basis b u t discriminate against 
o t h e r professional staff members. 

126 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 



T h e working h o u r s per year range 
f r o m 1240 to 2400 in the private col-
leges a n d f r o m 1160 to 2333 in state a n d 
m u n i c i p a l colleges. T h e m e d i a n s are 
1773 a n d 1751 respectively, somewhat 
h i g h e r t h a n the A C R L figures. T h e 
means are 1778 for private colleges a n d 
1742 for those which are publicly sup-
p o r t e d . 

T h e statistics indicate t h a t h i g h e r sal-
aries are o f t e n linked w i t h shorter work 
years. O n the o t h e r h a n d , the lowest 
salaries may accompany e i t h e r a very 
short or a very long work year. 

T h e r a n g e of h o u r l y rates in private 
colleges is $1.25 to $4.54 for h e a d librar-
ians a n d $.83 to $3.49 f o r assistant li-
brarians. R a t e s in publicly s u p p o r t e d 
colleges r a n g e f r o m $1.72 to $5.66 for 
the h e a d a n d $1.71 to $4.06 for the as-
sistant l i b r a r i a n . M e d i a n s are $2.80 a n d 
$2.31 for the f o r m e r a n d $3.22 a n d $2.74 
for the latter. T h e h o u r l y r a t e of pay 
in the publicly s u p p o r t e d colleges w o u l d 
have been h i g h e r if a n u m b e r of state 
colleges w i t h h i g h salary scales h a d sub-
m i t t e d salary d a t a . 

T h e length of the work week varies 
f r o m 35 h o u r s to 48 hours. Sixty-four 
(42 per cent) of all the colleges r e p o r t e d 
a 40-hour week, and in 126 (83.5 per 
cent) the staff works 40 h o u r s or less 
per week. 

Figures for vacations include school 
recesses such as Christmas a n d Easter if 
l i b r a r i a n s do n o t have to work d u r i n g 
these periods, b u t do n o t i n c l u d e legal 
holidays a n d o t h e r special days. T h e 
n u m b e r of i n d i v i d u a l days r e p o r t e d 
varies f r o m 0 to 25. Most of the colleges 
which r e p o r t e d fewer t h a n 8 holidays 
have longer vacation periods i n c l u d i n g 
most of the legal holidays. M a n y of the 
23 colleges r e p o r t i n g m o r e t h a n 8 holi-
days have short vacation periods, a n d it 
a p p e a r s that school recesses were in 
some instances r e p o r t e d as holidays 
r a t h e r t h a n as vacations. 

O n l y 22 of the 150 colleges indicated 

less t h a n 4 weeks of vacation. I n this 
study all time off, o t h e r t h a n i n d i v i d u a l 
holidays, has been treated as vacation 
even t h o u g h l i b r a r i a n s employed for 
less t h a n 12 m o n t h s may n o t so consider 
it. Six colleges have 3 weeks a n d 16 have 
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 weeks. Of 9 state col-
leges h a v i n g only 2 weeks vacation, 6 
are in West Virginia. 

T h e most c o m m o n vacation period is 
4 weeks or 1 m o n t h w i t h 28 private col-
leges a n d 12 publicly s u p p o r t e d col-
leges (26.6 per cent of the total n u m b e r ) 
r e p o r t i n g o n e or the other. 

Eighty-eight institutions, 60 per cent 
of the state a n d m u n i c i p a l colleges a n d 
57 per cent of t h e private colleges, give 
more t h a n 1 m o n t h of vacation. T h e 
longest vacation periods are 17 weeks 
for private colleges a n d 14 weeks for 
state colleges. I n a d d i t i o n , 2 private 
colleges a n d 12 state colleges r e p o r t e d 
school vacations, a n d 11 state colleges 
have school vacations plus extra pay for 
s u m m e r sessions. 

All colleges r e p o r t i n g sick leave for 
faculty m e m b e r s m a k e it available to 
professional m e m b e r s of the library 
staff. T h r e e h a v i n g sick leave only f o r 
nonprofessional library personnel d o 
n o t have sick leave for faculty members. 
A l t h o u g h 83 of the 150 r e s p o n d e n t s 
checked "Yes" a n d 64 checked " N o , " 
m a n y of the latter indicated t h a t sal-
aries are p a i d d u r i n g illness. I n fact, in 
m a n y of the colleges w i t h o u t sick leave 
plans the library staff receives m o r e gen-
erous t r e a t m e n t t h a n is provided b y 
colleges w i t h f o r m a l plans. 

Some of the colleges checking "Yes" 
m i g h t be regarded as n o t h a v i n g f o r m a l 
plans, for 22 stated t h a t there is n o time 
specified, 7 indicated only t h a t t h e sick 
leave allowance is " g e n e r o u s " or "lib-
eral," a n d 14 indicated t h a t each case is 
considered individually. Seven colleges 
r e p o r t e d t h a t the a m o u n t of sick leave 
g r a n t e d varies w i t h the l e n g t h of service. 
Of the colleges r e p o r t i n g a definite p e -

MARCH 1958 127-



riod, the a m o u n t of leave ranges f r o m 
5 days to 6 m o n t h s . I n o r d e r of r a n k 
the most comtnon sick leave periods are: 
15 days (18 colleges), 12 days (9 col-
leges), 30 days (8 colleges), 12 days (9 
colleges), 14 days (6 colleges), a n d 40 
days (6 colleges). 

T h e following q u o t a t i o n s are taken 
f r o m q u e s t i o n n a i r e s which i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t the college has n o sick leave p l a n : 
(1) "very liberal practice"; (2) "have 

g r a n t e d as m u c h as 2 m o n t h s a year"; 
(3) "as m u c h as necessary"; (4) " w h e n 

you're sick you d o n ' t w o r k " ; (5) "each 
case considered i n d i v i d u a l l y " ; (6) " n o 
l i m i t " ; (7) " a n y t h i n g w i t h i n reason." 

T h i r t y - e i g h t r e s p o n d e n t s checked 
"Yes" a n d 41 checked " N o " in response 
to the question, "Is sick leave cumu-
lative?" Most of the q u e s t i o n n a i r e s o n 
which n e i t h e r was checked are those of 
i n s t i t u t i o n s which have n o sick leave or 
no f o r m a l p l a n . T h e total a m o u n t staff 
m e m b e r s are allowed to c u m u l a t e ranges 
f r o m 20 to 180 days. T h e most fre-
q u e n t l y r e p o r t e d are 100 days (8 col-
leges) a n d 90 clays (7 colleges). 

Seventy-seven of t h e 84 private col-
leges a n d 59 of the 66 publicly sup-
p o r t e d colleges have r e t i r e m e n t plans 
w h i c h i n c l u d e professional m e m b e r s of 
t h e library staff. Seventy-eight of the 
f o r m e r a n d 35 of the latter also have 
social security. I n 68 private colleges 
a n d 41 state a n d m u n i c i p a l colleges pro-
fessional m e m b e r s of the library staff 
are covered by a college-sponsored g r o u p 
i n s u r a n c e p l a n . 

O n e h u n d r e d eight of the 150 col-
leges in the study m a k e some contribu-
tion to insurance a n d r e t i r e m e n t plans 
f o r m e m b e r s of the library staff. T h i r t y -
o n e failed to answer the question. Some 
stated t h a t the college c o n t r i b u t e s only 
to social security or to social security 
a n d r e t i r e m e n t . T h r e e colleges pay the 
e n t i r e cost of h e a l t h insurance for their 
employees. T w o others pay 50 a n d 60 

per cent respectively of the cost of 
h e a l t h i n s u r a n c e in a d d i t i o n to a con-
t r i b u t i o n to r e t i r e m e n t of 5 per cent of 
the employee's salary. Most of t h e per-
centages c o n t r i b u t e d by the colleges are 
u n d e r 10 per cent, the most f r e q u e n t l y 
m e n t i o n e d b e i n g 5 per cent (29 col-
leges). 

Fifty-six per cent of the colleges indi-
cated provisions for sabbatical leave, b u t 
l i b r a r i a n s are i n c l u d e d in only 47 per 
cent. D i s c r i m i n a t i o n against the library 
staff r e g a r d i n g sabbatical leave exists 
m a i n l y in p r i v a t e colleges. T h e l i b r a r i a n 
of o n e publicly s u p p o r t e d i n s t i t u t i o n 
stated t h a t the college has a sabbatical 
leave p l a n b u t t h a t l i b r a r i a n s are n o t 
eligible. T h r e e others were n o t sure, b u t 
t h o u g h t t h a t requests would be g r a n t e d 
on the same basis as those of o t h e r fac-
ulty members. I n 2 state colleges only 
the h e a d l i b r a r i a n is eligible. 

Almost all h e a d l i b r a r i a n s have the 
same privileges of a t t e n d a n c e a n d voting 
at faculty meetings as o t h e r faculty 
members. I n the p r i v a t e colleges only 1 
l i b r a r i a n r e p o r t e d n o t h a v i n g the same 
privileges; 1 stated that the q u e s t i o n is 
b e i n g reconsidered, a n d 1 d i d n o t an-
swer. O n e state college does n o t g r a n t 
these privileges to the h e a d l i b r a r i a n , 
a n d 1 which gives the h e a d l i b r a r i a n 
the same privileges as others w h o do 
n o t teach failed to state w h a t these priv-
ileges are. F i f t e e n of the private col-
leges d o n o t e x t e n d these to o t h e r pro-
fessional m e m b e r s of the library staff, 
a n d 6 l i m i t t h e m to the assistant li-
b r a r i a n . O n l y 3 state colleges r e p o r t t h a t 
n o o t h e r professional staff m e m b e r s may 
a t t e n d faculty meetings a n d vote, b u t 
a n o t h e r limits this p a r t i c i p a t i o n to "all 
w h o have faculty status." 

A l t h o u g h library salaries are still n o t 
c o m p a r a b l e to faculty salaries in m a n y 
institutions, it a p p e a r s t h a t improve-
m e n t in the academic qualifications of 
l i b r a r i a n s has b r o u g h t an i m p r o v e m e n t 
in status. 

128 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES