President's Message.

When I ran for ALA president, my pledge was to raise the awareness about inadequate library workers' salaries and to work for better salaries and pay equity. Even in tough fiscal times, we must improve library salaries in order to recruit and retain American libraries' greatest resources--their staffs. As ALA president-elect, I established the Task Force on Better Salaries and Pay Equity for Library Workers. Although librarianship is a profession dominated by women, almost all library employees suffer from a wage gap when compared with workers in predominantly male occupations that require similar education, training, skills, and responsibilities. Lack of pay equity is a major element causing the gap between the average wages paid to women and men worldwide. Use Equal Pay Day to kick off, or further energize, a local or state campaign for better salaries and pay equity for library workers. Better salaries result in better staff and better staff provide better service.