Thank you, library workers!
AFSCME represents library employees across Illinois who are passionate about making libraries work for everyone. They conduct children's story hours, facilitate Internet access, support research, lead workshops, keep books in order and much more. We honor them with National Library Workers Day -- Tuesday, April 15.
Library staff go above and beyond the call of duty to keep our libraries working. In recent years, with city budgets struggling during the recession, local governments have targeted library services for cuts. But library workers understand their vital role in local communities -- as an educational resource, economic engine and crucial piece of any neighborhood's quality of life -- and they've proven quick to take action against proposals that would reduce library hours, programs or staff.
After long days shelving books or helping students do research, librarians, clerks, pages and others have helped build campaigns to protect public libraries and give voice to library patrons:
- In Rockford, more than 100 library staff and patrons packed a library board meeting and successfully opposed a radical plan to close every branch library including the main library and convert the system to 96 percent digital.
- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel learned a lot from library workers when his plan to slash the library budget and layoff hundreds of employees ran into a storm of opposition. Library staff mobilized community support in a series of actions until library hours and staff were fully restored.
- When the Decatur City Council proposed draconian cuts to the public library, library staff reached out to the community and working together they were able to limit the cuts and protect popular programs.
Intended to promote library use and support, National Library Workers Day is part of the American Library Association's National Library Week, April 13-19. Whether you rely on your local library for books or movies, job searches or children's programs, a community meeting place or just a quiet place to read, remember to thank the library staff who keep it all happening.
Pictured: Buttons honoring AFSCME-represented library employees. The code 331.88 is the Dewey Decimal System classification for labor unions. HD 6483 is the Library of Congress classification for unions.