Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki - User contributions [en]

User:Walshga

2006-08-17T21:03:20Z

Walshga:

I'm a Reference Services Librarian at [http://www.law.mercer.edu Mercer University School of Law] in Macon, Georgia, U.S.A. Here's [http://www.law.mercer.edu/about/staffdata.cfm?staffid=282 my library staff webpage]. These are truly marvelous times to be a librarian - with access to abundant print resources, as well as the ever-expanding universe of information on the Web. And, of course, being able to collaborate internationally through Wiki's gives us another reason to be thrilled with our era.

User:Walshga

2006-08-17T21:02:50Z

Walshga:

I'm a Reference Services Librarian at [http://www.law.mercer.edu Mercer University School of Law] in Macon, Georgia, U.S.A. Here's [http://www.law.mercer.edu/about/staffdata.cfm?staffid=282 my library staff webpage]. These are truly marvelous times to be a librarian - with access to an abundant print resources, as well as the ever-expanding universe of information on the Web. And, of course, being able to collaborate internationally through Wiki's gives us another reason to be thrilled with our era.

User:Walshga

2006-08-17T20:54:26Z

Walshga:

Walshga is the user name for James Patrick Walsh (Jim), a Reference Services Librarian at [http://www.law.mercer.edu Mercer University School of Law] in Macon, Georgia, U.S.A. Here's [http://www.law.mercer.edu/about/staffdata.cfm?staffid=282 Jim's library staff page].

Wiki User List

2006-08-17T20:48:06Z

Walshga: = Members of the LibSuccess Wiki Community = added self

User:Walshga

2006-08-17T20:43:13Z

Walshga:

Walshga is the user name for James Patrick Walsh (Jim), a Reference Services Librarian at Mercer University School of Law in Macon, Georgia, U.S.A. Here's [http://www.law.mercer.edu/about/staffdata.cfm?staffid=282 Jim's library staff page].

User talk:Walshga

2006-08-17T20:41:12Z

Walshga:

User talk:Walshga

2006-08-17T20:40:35Z

Walshga:

Walshga is the user name for James Patrick Walsh (Jim), a Reference Services Librarian at Mercer University School of Law in Macon, Georgia U.S.A. Here's [http://www.law.mercer.edu/about/staffdata.cfm?staffid=282 Jim's library staff page].

The Almighty Dollar

2006-08-17T20:34:47Z

Walshga: /* Salary Negotiation */

=== Salary Negotiation ===
Before salary negotiations, research librarian salaries. You need to have actual numbers to show your supervisor. Most professional organizations, e.g., American Library Association, American Association of Law Libraries, conduct annual salary surveys and compile the results. The salary surveys are fairly detailed, and show salary figures by region, employment title, number of years experience, etc. To obtain the most recent librarian salary survey data, you need to be a dues paying member of one of the professional organizations (and then sometimes you still need to pay for the data, but with a member discount, e.g., the [http://www.ala.org/ala/ors/reports/salsursumart05.htm 2005 ALA Survey of Librarian Salaries], sells for $70.00 - $63.00 for members). Free librarian salary data is also posted on the [http://www.bls.gov U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics] website, through its [http://www.bls.gov/oes/home.htm Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)] service. Note that the OES data are estimates, and are therefore not as accurate as the professional association survey data.

=== Asking for a Raise ===

=== Getting Paid for Speaking ===

*'''Question''' - How do I figure out how much I should ask to be paid for an hour talk? A halfday talk? A full-day workshop?

It's really o.k. to ask around about the going rate. You are probably undercharging. While we all know libraries are on tight budgets, many libraries and consortia can afford a few hundred dollars plus travel.

Note also if you consistently low-ball your presentation fees, it's hard on everyone else.

Also factor in travel costs; whether you're taking vacation to do the gig (that's lost pay); is it for buddies in the area; other costs you have to pick up; and whether you can do this on your library's time.

Then there's the question of benefit to you. What's it worth to you to give this talk?

Suggestion from S. Bell: I would recommend thinking more about having a schedule of fees, just like a consultant probably has. I use three factors in coming up with a fee for a presentation: location; length of speaking engagement; the organization. I tend to charge less for a local organization (and usually nothing if I belong and it's local) because there's little travel (and time) involved. By local I'm talking about a one hour drive or so. Once I start getting into two to three hours that's going to make a difference. Then again, if I have to fly that's going to add to the cost. If I'm being asked to speak as part of a program and it will be one hour or less, I'm going to charge less. If someone asks me to do a half-day workshop, that's going to cost more. If they ask me to speak in the morning for an hour, and then be on a panel during the afternoon, that's going to cost more. Now, about the organization, if I get a sense it's a group on a tight budget I will reduce the normal fee - or least be flexible on the fee to do what I can to help out the organization (and it might sound harsh but don't become a charity - your time and expertise is worth something). This sort of factor usually comes out in the negotiation process. In general my fee can range from $200 to $1,000 depending on the location, time involved, and organization. One other factor would be a keynote address. That would add to the cost. These fees would be in addition to reimbursement for travel, lodging, meals, etc. I find my formula usually works for coming up with an amount that works for me and the requesting organization.

*'''Question''' - When someone says "small honorarium" and asks you to pick a number, what's the usual range?

$200. Unless it's a local gig, for a sister library or a neighboring system where you feel like family, in which case a freebie might be in order. Locally, the pro bono rate is a hug and a $25 Amazon gift certificate.

=== Getting Paid for Writing ===

Comment from S. Bell: There is certainly less flexibility here than getting paid for speaking engagements. Most of the journals I've been published in that do pay for publication have set amounts for specific type of articles. For example, American Libraries pays a set fee whether it's a cover story or a short article. Library Journal pays somewhat differently depending on the nature of the article or column. Some of the Information Today publications pay reasonably well. I have found that there is no negotiation process in fees for publication. Perhaps the best thing is to know which library (and peripheral fields such as higher education) journals pay for publication, and then decide if you want to target an article for that specific publication. Perhaps the only way you might get a journal to pay more than the usual fee is to have something so good, so hot - that they'd pay more to get it - rather than have a competitor get their hands on it. But the only way to know is to put that on the table. The risk is that the editor will say "go ahead and take it elsewhere".

Books are a bit different. The payment is based, of course, on the number of books sold, and the author's percentage is worked out in advance in the contract. Again, that could be negotiated depending on one's reputation.

If you want to be a freelancer there are ways to find out who pays and how much. If you're a practicing librarian and your priority to share ideas and information with colleagues, my guess is that the payment for your articles is going to take a backseat to where you are getting published.

The Almighty Dollar

2006-08-17T19:39:33Z

Walshga: /* Salary Negotiation */

=== Salary Negotiation ===
Before salary negotiations, research librarian salaries. You need to have actual numbers to show your supervisor. Most professional organizations, e.g., American Library Association, American Association of Law Libraries, conduct annual salary surveys and compile the results. The salary surveys are fairly detailed, and show salary figures by region, employment title, number of years experience, etc. To obtain the most recent librarian salary survey data, you need to be a dues paying member of one of the professional organizations - and sometimes you still need to pay for the data, but with a member discount.

=== Asking for a Raise ===

=== Getting Paid for Speaking ===

*'''Question''' - How do I figure out how much I should ask to be paid for an hour talk? A halfday talk? A full-day workshop?

It's really o.k. to ask around about the going rate. You are probably undercharging. While we all know libraries are on tight budgets, many libraries and consortia can afford a few hundred dollars plus travel.

Note also if you consistently low-ball your presentation fees, it's hard on everyone else.

Also factor in travel costs; whether you're taking vacation to do the gig (that's lost pay); is it for buddies in the area; other costs you have to pick up; and whether you can do this on your library's time.

Then there's the question of benefit to you. What's it worth to you to give this talk?

Suggestion from S. Bell: I would recommend thinking more about having a schedule of fees, just like a consultant probably has. I use three factors in coming up with a fee for a presentation: location; length of speaking engagement; the organization. I tend to charge less for a local organization (and usually nothing if I belong and it's local) because there's little travel (and time) involved. By local I'm talking about a one hour drive or so. Once I start getting into two to three hours that's going to make a difference. Then again, if I have to fly that's going to add to the cost. If I'm being asked to speak as part of a program and it will be one hour or less, I'm going to charge less. If someone asks me to do a half-day workshop, that's going to cost more. If they ask me to speak in the morning for an hour, and then be on a panel during the afternoon, that's going to cost more. Now, about the organization, if I get a sense it's a group on a tight budget I will reduce the normal fee - or least be flexible on the fee to do what I can to help out the organization (and it might sound harsh but don't become a charity - your time and expertise is worth something). This sort of factor usually comes out in the negotiation process. In general my fee can range from $200 to $1,000 depending on the location, time involved, and organization. One other factor would be a keynote address. That would add to the cost. These fees would be in addition to reimbursement for travel, lodging, meals, etc. I find my formula usually works for coming up with an amount that works for me and the requesting organization.

*'''Question''' - When someone says "small honorarium" and asks you to pick a number, what's the usual range?

$200. Unless it's a local gig, for a sister library or a neighboring system where you feel like family, in which case a freebie might be in order. Locally, the pro bono rate is a hug and a $25 Amazon gift certificate.

=== Getting Paid for Writing ===

Comment from S. Bell: There is certainly less flexibility here than getting paid for speaking engagements. Most of the journals I've been published in that do pay for publication have set amounts for specific type of articles. For example, American Libraries pays a set fee whether it's a cover story or a short article. Library Journal pays somewhat differently depending on the nature of the article or column. Some of the Information Today publications pay reasonably well. I have found that there is no negotiation process in fees for publication. Perhaps the best thing is to know which library (and peripheral fields such as higher education) journals pay for publication, and then decide if you want to target an article for that specific publication. Perhaps the only way you might get a journal to pay more than the usual fee is to have something so good, so hot - that they'd pay more to get it - rather than have a competitor get their hands on it. But the only way to know is to put that on the table. The risk is that the editor will say "go ahead and take it elsewhere".

Books are a bit different. The payment is based, of course, on the number of books sold, and the author's percentage is worked out in advance in the contract. Again, that could be negotiated depending on one's reputation.

If you want to be a freelancer there are ways to find out who pays and how much. If you're a practicing librarian and your priority to share ideas and information with colleagues, my guess is that the payment for your articles is going to take a backseat to where you are getting published.