-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Map/GIS librarian = extremely underpaid group?
Date:   Wed, 2 Aug 2006 14:41:16 -0700 (PDT)
From:   xh zhang <[log in to unmask]>
To:     Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]>



Dear Librarian Colleagues,
A library school student who is eager to become a GIS librarian
approaches to me for opinions since she knows that I am enthusiastic
about this field. She was very frustrated to see the minimum, even
revised minimum salary offers to GIS librarian from various sources. It
seems to her that to become a GIS librarian, she not only has to learn
ArcGIS, complicated enough by its own, but also database management, web
development, server, scripting…. But the salary is ….. lower than many
other entry-level bachelor degree students. She is really confused.
To find out the answer, I happen to see this old file:
(http://www.ala-apa.org/toolkit.pdf) It explains a little bit about why
and how to advocate for higher salary. But I am not sure if this is
complete story and how it works. Any other ideas?
 From the article:
"We librarians have a well-deserved reputation for being outspoken when
it comes to intellectual freedom and other issues
that affect library users. We have not been nearly as vocal on our own
behalf. Statistics show that our profession, along
with others that are predominantly female, are underpaid relative to the
education required and the complexity of the
service we provide."
-- A Map Librarian