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National Library Workers Day celebrated during
National Library Week

CHICAGO -- The American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA), an organization that advocates for improving the salaries and status of librarians and support staff, is sponsoring the second annual National Library Workers Day (NLWD) on Tuesday, April 12, during ALA-sponsored National Library Week (April 10-16). NLWD is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers - including librarians, support staff and others.

The theme for National Library Workers Day is "Libraries Work Because We Do," which focuses on how library services depend on the important work done by each library staff member and department. Libraries may customize the first slogan by adding the library's name to the beginning, e.g., Goodpay Public Library Works Because We Do. Libraries also are invited to use the slogan "We work @ your library(r)" to tie into ALA's Campaign for America's Libraries.

Libraries are encouraged to use National Library Workers Day to focus on individuals or units responsible for the number of materials selected, acquired, cataloged, checked out and back in, and shelved; for handling requests and sending them to other libraries; for answering reference questions; for planning, publicizing and presenting programs; for developing and maintaining the library's Web site; for managing the library and for other elements of library service.

Celebrations last year included parties, notes of appreciation, awards, gift certificates and gifts like book-shaped cookies and solar calculators inscribed with "Thank you for your service." One library used the day to announce new staff services like development programs and newsletter upgrades. Another created a large wall mural with a panel for each staff member and what they do in the library.

Customizable tools and materials to help libraries promote National Library Workers Day are available on the ALA-APA Web site at www.ala-apa.org/about/nlwd. Resources include English and Spanish versions of a proclamation, sample letter to the editor, op-ed article, radio PSAs and a sample press release. Also posted are programming ideas, such as employee recognition days and "behind the scenes" tours of the library. Buttons proclaiming "Libraries Work Because We Do," are available for $5 each from the ALA-APA Web site.

This year, National Library Workers Day is the week prior to Equal Pay Day, established by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE), a coalition of national organizations to which ALA belongs. Equal Pay Day, on April 19th, is closely related to NLWD because libraries are staffed predominately by women, and library workers tend to be underpaid. Equal Pay Day highlights the gap between the wages of men and women.

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