Speaking only for myself, but probably this applies to many others, too, I have been the synagogue librarian for over 30(!) years. I have always paid full dues...no discounts for anything. Like Emily, I consider it a donation as we are very modest donors outside of dues.
Volunteers don't last long because they need rides to get to the library, they don't want to be there when I need them, they don't like the jobs that I need to have them do, or they want to get paid, etc. Our library exists on donations only and those tend to be meager. I feel that the library is close to the last item on the list, if not the last. And BTW, when we redid our building a few years ago, the library was placed about as far away from activity as can be. What is front and center as one walks in the front door-the gift shop. However, when people actually go to the library, they are pleasantly surprised by what we have. I think we have been fighting this battle ever since I've been an AJL member. I wish I had a solution. Aileen Grossberg Lampert Library Congregation Shomrei Emunah Montclair, NJ 07042 -----Original Message----- From: Andrea Rapp <[email protected]> To: Hasafran <[email protected]> Sent: Mon, Feb 11, 2013 1:30 pm Subject: Re: [ha-Safran] synagogue library budget question Are those who run their synagogue libraries out of devotion and willingness to share their skills and are not paid a salary, charged temple membership? Andrea Rapp, Cincinnati --- On Mon, 2/11/13, Emily Bergman <[email protected]> wrote: From: Emily Bergman <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [ha-Safran] synagogue library budget question To: "Amalia Warshenbrot" <[email protected]> Cc: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "Jay Jarvis, Beth El Media Center" <[email protected]>, "Heidi Estrin" <[email protected]> Date: Monday, February 11, 2013, 12:17 PM Before I took on the library, it was managed by an engineer, just because he loves the library. Knowing I'm a librarian, he twisted my arm to take it on--18 years ago and counting. If I weren't willing to do this, I suppose someone else who knows little to none about librarianship would do it. I have met others like me at AJL meetings. As I said, it's my donation to the temple, since we are not money donors. They couldn't afford me. I have advertised for someone to work in the library on Sunday mornings, and I can't find anyone Jewish willing to take the job, so I don't think I'm taking this job from anyone. Emily On Mon, Feb 11, 2013 at 8:26 AM, Amalia Warshenbrot <[email protected]> wrote: So here is the question. If the synagogue will not find a professional knowledgeable volunteers will they hire a librarian ? Are the volunteers taking jobs away from skilled knowledgeable people ? Amalia Sent from my iPad On Feb 11, 2013, at 12:31 AM, Emily Bergman <[email protected]> wrote: We also have no budget and are staffed by volunteers, including a librarian (me). I do get donations, which is all the funding I have. I am on an ALA book award committee, so in exchange for reading about 60 books a year for this committee, I get about 150 books for the temple library. It's very time consuming work in exchange for a good adult book collection. On the other hand, your salary is simply too little; that's less than I've paid college students to work in the library when I've had them. What are teachers paid? You should make at least as much as a teacher. I am willing to do this for free as my donation to the temple, but I have a good-paying academic library job. If this is your professional work, you need to be paid accordingly. Emily Bergman Library Committee Chair Temple Sinai Glendale, CA On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 5:38 PM, Jay Jarvis, Beth El Media Center <[email protected]> wrote: We are trying to get enough funds, and then approval for our first part time library staff person. All of our funds are from donations with nothing coming from the general fund. We have 10 library volunteers including our librarian. I think the hard thing for all of us to take, is that Libraries are just not considered that important any more. At Beth El we are working on programming to increase use of our very good Media Center (library), as we feel this will get us the support we need and deserve. We have about 600 members, not that far off from 500. Frankly, I am envious that Lynn has a temple budget for a library staff person. Jay E.J.Jarvis II, cochair Library/ Lifelong Learning Center Committee Beth El Hebrew Congregation 3830 Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia 22304 [email protected] www.bethelhewbrew.org ----- Original Message ----- From: Heidi Estrin To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 10:02 AM Subject: [ha-Safran] synagogue library budget question I am posting this question on behalf of Lynn Waghalter, librarian at Congregation Agudas Achim in San Antonio, TX. She would like to know what is an average synagogue library budget, for materials and for librarian salary. Please respond to the list with any info about the size and budget of your own synagogue library so Lynn can get an idea of what’s “normal.” Her original message to me is below. Thanks! Heidi Estrin, AJL President “Hi, I am an AJL member. I am a synagogue librarian—I service the religious school, a pre-school, as well as the synagogue membership. We have a BEAUTIFUL library. The synagogue I work in has approx. 500 member families. My problem is that the synagogue board only has dollar signs in their eyes. They want the library budget to be $2,500 per year! My salary is $10.40 per hour. I work 3 days a week there. I would like to know what is the average synagogue library budget for other synagogues of comparable size? Can you help me? Thank you, Lynn Waghalter” __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran -----Inline Attachment Follows----- __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
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