College and Research Libraries B y R O B E R T H . M U L L E R Work Week, Vacations, and Salaries in Medium-Siz,ed Universities and Colleges Dr. Aluller is director of libraries, South- ern Illinois University. SALARIES f o r p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r i a n s a r e g e n e r a l l y r e p o r t e d i n t e r m s of a n n u a l a m o u n t s . I f c o m p a r i s o n of s a l a r i e s of d i f - f e r e n t i n s t i t u t i o n s a r e m a d e , h o w e v e r , it m a y be d e s i r a b l e to k n o w m o r e t h a n t h e a n n u a l a m o u n t s . S p e c i f i c a l l y , w e m a y w i s h t o t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t s u c h f a c t o r s a s t h e n u m b e r of h o u r s of w o r k p e r y e a r , t h e n u m - b e r of l e g a l h o l i d a y s w i t h p a y , t h e n u m b e r of d a y s of s i c k l e a v e a l l o w e d , t h e a m o u n t c o n t r i b u t e d b y t h e i n s t i t u t i o n t o w a r d s r e - t i r e m e n t p l a n s a n d i n s u r a n c e , a n d s a b b a t i c a l o r s i m i l a r l e a v e p o l i c i e s a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e l i b r a r y s t a f f . T h e p r e s e n t a n a l y s i s is c o n f i n e d t o t h e f a c t o r of i n t e r - i n s t i t u t i o n a l v a r i a t i o n s in t h e n u m b e r of h o u r s of w o r k p e r w o r k y e a r , w i t h o u t c o n s i d e r i n g o t h e r f a c t o r s t h a t m a y c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e a t t r a c t i v e n e s s of li- b r a r y p o s i t i o n s . I n a q u e s t i o n n a i r e a d - d r e s s e d to 5 6 m e d i u m - s i z e d i n s t i t u t i o n s of h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n , of w h i c h 4 2 h a d r e p o r t e d s a l a r y d a t a in t h e J a n u a r y , 1 9 5 3 i s s u e of C&RL, w e a s k e d t w o q u e s t i o n s : 1 . H o w l o n g a r e t h e annual vacations w i t h p a y w h i c h m e m b e r s of y o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y s t a f f r e c e i v e , i n c l u d i n g a l l s c h o o l r e c e s s e s if l i b r a r i a n s a r e n o t r e q u i r e d t o w o r k d u r i n g t h e m , b u t o m i t t i n g i n d i v i d u a l l e g a l h o l i - d a y s ? 2 . H o w l o n g is t h e work week of p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y s t a f f m e m b e r s , e x c l u s i v e of o f f i c i a l l y p e r m i t t e d r e g u l a r r e s t p e r i o d s ? — R e p l i e s w e r e r e c e i v e d f r o m 4 9 l i b r a r i e s 1 in A p r i l , 1 9 5 3 , of w h i c h 3 9 h a d r e p o r t e d s a l a r y d a t a in C&RL. V A C A T I O N S T h e m o d a l p r a c t i c e w a s t o a l l o w 4 w e e k s v a c a t i o n a y e a r : 2 9 o u t of 4 9 i n s t i t u t i o n s f o l l o w e d t h i s p r a c t i c e . S i x t e e n i n s t i t u t i o n s a l l o w e d b e t w e e n 5 a n d 8 w e e k s v a c a t i o n a y e a r , a n d 4 i n s t i t u t i o n s p r o v i d e d o n l y 3 w e e k s a y e a r . I n a f e w c a s e s , t h e l e n g t h of v a c a t i o n v a r i e d a c c o r d i n g to t h e n u m b e r of y e a r s t h a t a n e m p l o y e e h a d w o r k e d f o r t h e i n s t i t u t i o n . W O R K W E E K A s to t h e l e n g t h of t h e w o r k w e e k , t h e m o d a l p r a c t i c e w a s 4 0 h o u r s a w e e k , w i t h 1 8 of t h e 4 9 l i b r a r i e s r e p o r t i n g s u c h a w o r k w e e k ; o n l y o n e i n s t i t u t i o n r e p o r t e d a w o r k w e e k of o v e r 4 0 h o u r s ( 4 4 ) . A t o n e i n s t i - t u t i o n , t h e n u m b e r of h o u r s w a s n o t o f f i - c i a l l y s p e c i f i e d b u t w o r k e d o u t t o a b o u t 4 0 . O v e r o n e - h a l f of t h e l i b r a r i e s r e q u i r e d 3 9 h o u r s a w e e k o r l e s s , t h e m i n i m u m b e i n g 3 5 h o u r s a w e e k . T h r e e i n s t i t u t i o n s a l s o f o l l o w e d t h e p r a c t i c e of l o w e r i n g t h e n u m - b e r of w o r k h o u r s p e r w e e k d u r i n g t h e 1 T h e following institutions, listed in the order of enrollment from low to high, returned a n s w e r s : V a s s a r , Wellesley, U . of North Dakota, Montana State, T u f t s , So. Illinois U . , Dartmouth, U . of S . Carolina, U . of V e r m o n t , U . of M a i n e , V i r g i n i a Poly. I n s t . , E m o r y U . , U . of Rochester, U . of N e w Hampshire, B r o w n U . , U t a h State, Colorado A & M , Catholic U . of A . , U . of N e w M e x i c o , H o w a r d U . , U . of W . V i r g i n i a , U . of Georgia, U . of Oregon, So. Methodist U . , Oregon State, Notre Dame U . , U . of A r i z o n a , U . of Louis- ville, U . of K e n t u c k y , S a n F r a n c i s c o State T e a c h e r s , U . of K a n s a s , T e x a s A & M , U . of Colorado, U . of U t a h , U . of Tennessee, H u n t e r , U . of Oklahoma, P u r d u e U . , I o w a State, S y r a c u s e U . , U . of D e n v e r , U . of B u f f a l o , Brooklyn College, St. L o u i s U . , U . of Houston, Wash- ington U . ( S t . L o u i s ) , U . of M a r y l a n d , Michigan State, U . of Cincinnati. 84 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES T A B L E I Length of Work Week and Vacations Number of Hours of Work Per Week Vacation Annually . 35 36 37 38 39 40 44 Total 3 1 1 1 I 4 4 1 1 7 6 14 29 5 1 1 1 3 6 2 2 2 2 8 7 1 1 2 8 1 1 1 3 Total 1 5 3 10 11 18 I 49 s u m m e r m o n t h s t o 3 4 , 3 2 , a n d 3 0 h o u r s , r e s p e c t i v e l y . H O U R S P E R Y E A R T a b l e I a b o v e s h o w s t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n of a l l t h e l i b r a r i e s w i t h r e s p e c t t o n u m b e r j f w e e k s o f v a c a t i o n a n n u a l l y a n d n u m b e r of h o u r s of w o r k p e r w e e k . P r a c t i c e s w e r e f a r f r o m u n i f o r m . T h e f o r e g o i n g d a t a o n v a c a t i o n s a n d w o r k w e e k s c a n a l s o b e p r e s e n t e d i n t e r m s of t o t a l n u m b e r of h o u r s p e r y e a r , a s f o l - l o w s : T A B L E I I Length of Work Year in Hours Minimum 1,552 25 th percentile i , 7 9 4 Median 1,872 75 th percentile 1,920 Maximum 2,156 I f a l l l i b r a r i e s f o l l o w e d a u n i f o r m p r a c - t i c e of a l l o w i n g 4 w e e k s of v a c a t i o n a y e a r , t h e m i d d l e 5 0 p e r c e n t o f t h e l i b r a r i e s w o u l d p r o v i d e a w o r k w e e k r a n g i n g f r o m 3 7 J t o 4 0 h o u r s , w i t h a m e d i a n o f 3 9 h o u r s . R E L A T I O N OF W O R K Y E A R TO S A L A R Y T o d e t e r m i n e h o w d i f f e r e n c e s i n t h e w o r k y e a r a f f e c t e d r e p o r t e d r a t e s of c o m - p e n s a t i o n , t h e m i n i m u m s a l a r i e s f o r p r o f e s - s i o n a l l i b r a r i a n s , a s r e p o r t e d , w e r e e q u a t e d b y c o n v e r t i n g t h e m i n t o f i g u r e s b a s e d o n a u n i f o r m n u m b e r of h o u r s p e r y e a r ; t h e n u m b e r s e l e c t e d f o r e q u a t i n g t h e s a l a r i e s w a s t h e m e d i a n f o r t h e 4 9 l i b r a r i e s , t h a t is, 1 8 7 2 h o u r s . I n 2 7 of t h e l i b r a r i e s t h e e q u a t e d s a l a r i e s w e r e h i g h e r t h a n t h e r e - p o r t e d s a l a r i e s b y a m o u n t s u p t o $ 8 4 9 , t h e m a x i m u m i n c r e a s e a m o u n t i n g t o 2 5 p e r c e n t of t h e r e p o r t e d s a l a r y ; i n 2 2 l i b r a r i e s , t h e e q u a t e d s a l a r i e s w e r e l o w e r b y a m o u n t s u p t o $ 3 6 4 , t h e m a x i m u m d e c r e a s e a m o u n t - i n g t o 1 5 p e r c e n t o f t h e r e p o r t e d s a l a r y . D i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n r e p o r t e d a n d e q u a t e d s a l a r i e s w e r e n o t s u f f i c i e n t , h o w e v e r , t o a f f e c t t h e r a n k o r d e r o f t h e s a l a r i e s a p p r e - c i a b l y : t h e S p e a r m a n r a n k o r d e r c o e f f i c i e n t of c o r r e l a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e s e r i e s o f r e p o r t e d a n d t h e s e r i e s of e q u a t e d s a l a r i e s w a s + O . 9 1 . H o w d i f f e r e n c e s i n t h e l e n g t h o f t h e w o r k y e a r a n d t h e l e n g t h of t h e w o r k w e e k , c o n - s i d e r e d t o g e t h e r , i n f l u e n c e e q u a t e d s a l a r i e s is i l l u s t r a t e d i n T a b l e I I I . I n e a c h o f t h e f o u r p a i f s , t h e r e p o r t e d s a l a r i e s w e r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y i d e n t i c a l w h e r e - a s t h e e q u a t e d s a l a r i e s w e r e a p a r t b y $ 9 5 5 , $ 1 0 2 9 , $ 4 6 8 , a n d $ 9 3 6 , r e s p e c t i v e l y . T h u s it a p p e a r s t h a t c o m p a r i s o n s b e t w e e n r e p o r t e d s a l a r i e s c a n b e g r e a t l y m i s l e a d i n g u n l e s s t h e l e n g t h of t h e w o r k y e a r is t a k e n i n t o a c c o u n t . S a l a r i e s i n l i b r a r i e s p r o v i d i n g r e l a t i v e l y l o n g v a c a t i o n s a n d a s h o r t w o r k w e e k a r e n o t s t r i c t l y c o m p a r a b l e t o s a l a r i e s i n l i b r a r i e s w i t h l e s s f a v o r a b l e w o r k i n g c o n d i t i o n s . I t m a y be a r g u e d t h a t t h e i n d i - JANUARY, 1954 85 T A B L E I I I Selected Pairs of Reported Salaries Equated to a Common Base of 1872 Hours a Year (Minimum Salaries for Library Assistants, 1952-53) Reported Salary N o . of Hours a Year Rate Per Hour Salary Equated to 1872 Hours a Year Brooklyn C. Michigan State C. $3,700 3 , 7 o o 1,574 1,920 2-35 1.84 $4,399 3,444 Difference none $ 9 55 Vassar C. San Francisco State C. £3,400 3 >372 1,543 1,960 2.27 1.72 $4,249 3 , 2 2 0 Difference $ 28 $1,029 Hunter C. U. of New Hampshire $3,100 3,100 1,668 1,920 1.86 1.61 $3,482 3,014 Difference none $ 468 Wellesley C. Texas A & M $2,800 2,760 i , 5 7 5 2,156 1.78 1.28 $3,332 2,396 Difference $ 40 $ 936 v i d u a l p r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y s t a f f m e m b e r is p r i m a r i l y i n t e r e s t e d i n h i s t o t a l a n n u a l i n - c o m e r a t h e r t h a n i n t h e r a t e p e r h o u r . N e v e r t h e l e s s if t h e r e is a c h o i c e b e t w e e n t w o $ 3 7 0 0 - a - y e a r p o s i t i o n s o f w h i c h o n e r e - q u i r e s 1 9 2 0 h o u r s o f w o r k a y e a r a n d t h e o t h e r o n l y 1 5 7 4 , m o s t j o b s e e k e r s w i l l n o t f i n d i t d i f f i c u l t t o r e a c h a d e c i s i o n , a s s u m i n g t h a t a l l o t h e r f a c t o r s a r e a b o u t e q u a l . D i f - f e r e n c e s i n t h e l e n g t h of t h e w o r k y e a r b e - t w e e n l i b r a r i e s m a y c o r r e s p o n d t o s i m i l a r i n t e r - i n s t i t u t i o n a l d i f f e r e n c e s i n f a c u l t y t e a c h i n g l o a d s . T o w h a t e x t e n t t h e l e n g t h of t h e w o r k y e a r c a n be c h a n g e d b y a u t h o r i t y of h e a d l i b r a r i a n s is n o t k n o w n ; i n m a n y c a s e s s u c h m a t t e r s a r e r e g u l a t e d b y c o l l e g e a u t h o r i t i e s o r s t a t u t e s a n d a r e d i f f i c u l t t o c h a n g e . T h e q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r g r e a t e r u n i - f o r m i t y a m o n g l i b r a r i e s w o u l d b e d e s i r a b l e m a y be w o r t h c o n s i d e r i n g . H o w e v e r , a s l o n g a s f a i r l y w i d e v a r i a t i o n s p r e v a i l , i t s e e m s i m p o r t a n t t h a t d a t a o n t h e l e n g t h of t h e w o r k w e e k a n d v a c a t i o n s b e r e p o r t e d i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h p u b l i s h e d s a l a r y f i g u r e s . R e v i s i o n of The University Library The University Library, i s s u e d b y t h e U n i v e r s i t y of C h i c a g o P r e s s in 1 9 4 5 a n d r e p r i n t e d in 1 9 4 8 , is in p r o c e s s of r e v i s i o n by t h e a u t h o r s , L o u i s R o u n d W i l s o n a n d M a u r i c e F . T a u b e r . T h e a u t h o r s w o u l d be g r a t e f u l t o l i b r a r i a n s if t h e y w i l l s e n d a n y s u g g e s t i o n s f o r t h e r e v i s i o n to D r . W i l s o n , U n i v e r s i t y of N o r t h C a r o l i n a , o r D r . T a u b e r , S c h o o l of L i b r a r y S e r v i c e , C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y . 86 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES