Pay is well below industry standard — starting pay is barely above minimum wage — even in expensive cost of living areas, and there is virtually no chance of pay raise or advancement for most in these positions. No cost of living raises.
These jobs consist of very little actual librarian work, even for MLIS holders. Libraries are severely understaffed, largely due to high staff turnover — which is due to the low pay at all levels below top management.
Lousy work hours due to library open hours. Pay for branch managers is based on how many staff they supervise, and they are largely hired based on management experience, not library experience or knowledge of libraries or the library field.
These jobs are considered management jobs, not library jobs. Most of the actual librarian work such as collection development and librarian-level cataloging is outsourced. Branch managers spend a large percentage of work time on clerical and administrative duties which anyone with half a brain and a high school education could perform.
Having made these positions into the equivalent of paraprofessional would seem to be how LSSI justifies the low pay and the fact that they are mostly hourly.
The very top management and the executives at company headquarters obviously don’t care about the high turnover, or why it is so high. They know that the younger low-paid employees largely view these jobs as ‘stepping stones.’ (However, it is a vicious cycle: if the jobs paid better, perhaps younger branch managers would stay longer.)
Disorganized decision making at the top and constantly throwing new programs and policies at staff. Top-heavy management and very little middle management. Company would not close libraries for Covid in 2020 until forced to by state mandate.
