Christine Lind Hage
Candidate for President of the American Library Assocation

The challenges to American libraries have never been greater than in these times of shrinking civil liberties, limited budgets, emerging technologies, and expanding responsibilities for library workers. This new century of opportunity calls the ALA/APA and its members to lend their expertise to helping libraries and library workers serve diverse populations with ever increasing information needs. ALA/APA can accomplish this important work by attracting, retaining and retraining library workers so the profession can meet those ever changing needs.

As President of ALA/APA, I would work tirelessly to lead and support our professional mission and calling to improve working conditions that will help our workforce enrich lives through libraries and library services. I will work with library educators and trainers to make sure that our certification programs are appropriate to the profession’s practical needs and at the same time meet the highest standards of educational training. I will work with library administrators to develop and distribute recruitment materials that will honestly promote the exciting and important work that takes place in our libraries.

I recognize that the President of ALA/APA speaks for the association on a wide range of topics. I would be ready and willing to speak on behalf of the Association on any issue including:

• Improved Salaries - Librarians and library workers perform important work and services for patrons, the community, and all society. It is therefore only fair that their valuable contribution be recognized with fair and equitable compensation in the form of wages and other benefits. It is appropriate for ALA to articulate, publicize, and champion the valuable resources and important services that libraries and library workers contribute to our society.

Although ALA should dedicated itself to making the public aware of the value of librarians and library workers, the initiative and effort to improve salaries and other compensation is a local issue shaped by local circumstances. Library administrators and boards responsible for preparing and approving library budgets should make every effort to insure that all compensation offered to library professionals and staff is equitable compared to similar employment positions in that community.

Library wages should be attractive enough to draw the best candidates for each job position and fair enough to reward, encourage, and retain workers once library employees are on the job. The high costs of staff turnover (e.g. recruitment, hiring and training) make it a smart investment for communities to compensate productive and dedicated workers so that library employees stay with and improve their local libraries, residents and culture.

Better funding of libraries in general facilitates fair compensation for all library workers. It is the responsibility of library directors and governing bodies to make sure library workers’ wages are competitive and in line with the cost of living in the locale. It is the responsibility of ALA to support them in that important endeavor.

• Recruitment - Recruitment of a new generation of diverse, well-educated, and professionally dedicated librarians is one of the most pressing issues facing the profession and the association today. ALA estimates that 58% of current librarians will reach age 65 by the year 2019. Already there are notable shortages of librarians in several areas of the county.
At the same time, there is a serious disconnect with the very same generation of librarians we so urgently need. ALA must address the limited job opportunities for librarians in many areas and unreasonably low starting salaries. ALA must also cultivate a better appreciation in the public and profession for the value of developing a diverse population of library leaders and professionals.

I support:
o ALA Spectrum Initiative;

o ALA Recruitment Assembly's efforts to develop a clearinghouse of best practices and resources for recruitment, retention and mentoring across all divisions;

o Creating a NextGen/New Librarian task force to develop a plan to increase the "next" generation's voice and participation in ALA and to help shape its future;

o Encouraging conference programming to address succession planning, mentoring, and developing a diverse workforce.


My past experiences and leadership at the local, national, and international levels will allow me to effectively be the voice of the Association on the full spectrum of issues as well as identify and use the association’s membership’s wide expertise. ALA and ALA/APA are endowed with members who are active in various divisions, units and committees and represent the full range of library experiences, age categories, ethnicities, religions, political view points and sexual orientations. As President I would value and work with this diverse expertise, vision, and energy to lead us into the next century of challenges and opportunities. I ask for your support and invite you to visit my website at: www.christinelindhage.net.