Document 8: ALA-SRRT Task Force on Women Newsletter, vol. 3, no. 3, March 1974, Series 49/45/10, Box 1, Folder Status of Women in Libraries, Task Force on Women Newsletter (1970, 1972-4), American Library Association Archives, University of Illinois Library, 5 pp.


Introduction

   The newsletter from March 1974 provided a detailed report on the Job Roster and how well it was working. A total of 96 women had their CVs on file with the Task Force, and this newsletter provided data on their education, language competencies, and geographic preferences for jobs. The newsletter also reported on how many requests for jobs were sent by libraries and other academic positions. The reactions to the effectiveness of the job roster were quite dismal: only one hire had been made since the job roster began, and employers cited inappropriate qualifications for most jobs that women were matched for. Some employers said this seemed to be duplicating what other professional services were providing and that it was not an effective means of finding qualified candidates for positions.


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ALA-SRRT TASK FORCE ON WOMEN
NEWSLETTER

Vol. 3 no. 3

March 1974

Ed: Lynne Rhoads

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION MIDWINTER MEETING

TASK FORCE ON WOMEN BUSINESS MEETINGS

    Job Roster - The business meeting started with a short presentation, by Liz Dickinson, Roster Coordinator, of status of job roster (complete report follows). Roster has grown to the point where in its present form it is unwieldy and extremely demanding in terms of the work involved. Discussion of the problems and of alternatives to them led to a reorganization of the way the job roster will be handled. Consensus was that since hirings appear to be few, and because of the immense amount of work attendant to circulating the roster and the small return, initiative and follow up activity with respect to any one job should be left to the applicant, who would not simply wait to be contacted by personnel officers, but who would write directly to apply for jobs of interest. Instead of rosters of women being circulated to employers, a system of bi-weekly announcements of job openings, with pertinent information, will be circulated to all roster members. There will be a small fee for this membership to cover costs of reproducing and mailing (estimated $5.00 per year).

    Statistics can also be kept more easily on the usefulness of the roster by means of duplicate copies of job correspondence sent to the roster coordinator.

    Liz Dickinson is working out the details of the conversion which is expected to be operational by May or June.

    Newsletter

    A plea was made for volunteers to edit the Newsletter, since the work of the TFW Coordinator is growing and becoming extremely heavy. As a matter of superior TF functioning, also, it is desirable to have the newsletter edited by women other then the Coordinator - to have as many TF members involved as possible. A suggestion was made that Bay Area SRRT women might be interested in editing. Details to be worked out.

    Talent Bank

    The talent bank changed hands from Sherrie Bergman Friedman to Jo Ann Malina, 4248 Anna Ave., Lyons, IL 60534. Organizational details of this also to be worked out.

    Bibliography

    Margaret Myers will again, with other TF members, up-date the TFW bibliography on Women in Librarianship, Bibliographic information on new publications, reports, etc. may be sent to her at Graduate School of Library Service, Rutgers University, 189 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08903.

    New York Program

    It was decided that the TFW program at New York would deal with means of filing sex-discrimination complaints. HEW, EEOC, State and New York City agencies would be asked to send a representative; and a civil attorney (Feminist) would be invited, all to provide brief descriptions of their services and to answer questions from the audience. Hazards, mechanics, and safeguards of filing complaints can be explored. Informational kits (including a summary of what kinds of things constitute sex discrimination) will be prepared by Carol Hanson and distributed at the program meeting.

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    A suggestion that TF try to arrange a benefit luncheon (Rap with Feminist Librarians) informally in the SRRT Suite was generally approved.

    Women's group in Council

    A protracted discussion of the penalties of protesting discrimination and of the retaliation experienced by women who have filed formal complaints of sex discrimination, was followed by a proposal that Council women be organized to work for equitable treatment for women. By the end of the Mid-Winter meeting, this group seemed well on the way to formation.

    Caucus or Round Table?

    The TFW, at ALA, Las Vegas, decided, that it was growing too large for the SRRT structure. Various possible alternatives were discussed, with separate Round Table Status favored. By Mid-Winter, however, the financial condition of ALA with the consequent dues structure changes and the implications of these changes to the future of Tound Tables and even Divisions, swung TFW opinion in the direction of establishing a group separate from ALA, as the Black Caucus is separate, to be named something like "Feminist Librarians Caucus". Some drawbacks to this proposal are (1) the necessity to establish administrative machinery for dues, etc. and (2) difficulty of obtaining space at ALA meetings. Advantages are (1) autonomy (2) the possibility of recruiting many members who do not care to or can not afford to belong to ALA. The issue will be further discussed and hopefully, decided, in New York.

PRECONFERENCE BUSINESS MEETINGS

    The 1974 New York Preconference title has now changed to "Women in a Women's Profession: Strategy for Change." Content of the Preconference has altered somewhat due to change in demonstrated interest in topics. Workshops will be on the following:

    1. Self-image: Pat Schuman, 77 Fulton St., NYC 10038

    2. Education: Liz Futas, Queens College Lib., Flushing, N.Y, 11367

    3. Affirmative Action: Joan Marshall, Bklyn College Lib., Bklyn, N.Y. 11210

    4. Career Development: Sherrie Friedman, Roger Williams College Lib., Bristol, R.I.

    5. Unions: Peggy O'Donnel, Bay Area Reference Center, San Francisco Pub. Lib., San Francisco, CA 94102

    6. Local Organizing: Annalee Bundy, 22 Starwell Rd., Winchester, Mass, 01890

    Pre-conference cost will be 160.00 per person, which will cover all meals and sleeping facilities. Advance registration packets have been sent out. Women who did not receive this packet and who wish to register for the pre-conference should write: Betty-Carol Sellen / Brooklyn College Library / Brooklyn, N.Y. 11210.

    Volunteers wishing to help with workshops should contact names given above.

JOB ROSTER REPORT

    1. Women on file: TOTAL 96

    DEGREES:

    MLS or 5th year BSLA: 82, pre-1960: 15 / 1960-1969: 38 / 1970- : 29(This last area has grown most rapidly in the past 6 mo., despite emphasis of roster on above beginning level positions. May 1972-3 grads are registering.)

    Currently working on MLS: 4. Ma/Phd./non-lib.: 6 / BA in lib. (Where this is the only degree): 2-both pre-1960 / BA non-lib.: 2.

    Continuing education of those with MLS: 2nd masters: 15 / PhD: 5 / Currently working on PhD: 3 / working on Masters: 6 / Additional credits but no degree: approx, 19 (48 or about half of roster women have sought formal education beyond the MLS.)

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    Library type interest of roster women: Academic: 29 / Public: 3 / Specials 10 / Willing to consider two or more types: 54.

    Job are interest: Public services: 20
Technical services: 11
Media/School spec.: 1
Medical: 1
Archives/research: 2
PR/Personnel: 5
"General administration" no preference or variety of interest: 56

    Language competencies (Req. only some knowledge): 0 lang.: 8/1 lang.: 24 / 2 lang. : 33 / 3 or more lang.: 31.

    Geographic preferences: East or East Coast: 11 / West or West Coast: 13 / Midwest: 2 / South: 3 / One city or state: 19 / No restrictions or comb. of the above: 48.

    Have received 70 individual requests for roster forms in the last 6 mo. and have received 32 completed ones since Aug. 1, 1973, 8 women have been removed from the file in the past year. Several others have given work of change of status, address, name, etc., but have not as yet made a complete survey of women on file since last June.

    II. Library requests: Received from a total of 35 libraries: Academic libs.: 29 / Public libs.: 4 / Special, State libs.: 2.

    Specific requests: 43 from academic libs.: / 4 not screened because no one on file was qualified.

    Remaining 39 screened at these job levels: Beginning: 8 / supervisory: 13 / specialist: 2 / management: 6 / administrative: 7 / teaching: 3.

    Of the 4 public libs.: total of 5 jobs screened. Administrative: 2 / manage- ment: 1 / supervisory: 1 / specialist: 1.

    0f the special libraries: Consultants full/part time: 2.

    Specific information requested/no specific jobs--roster sent out: Academic: 11 (? this may be a little high) Federal lib.: 1 / State lib. assocl, committee: 1.

    III. Non-library academic requests for specific positions (deans, provosts, college pres., etc.) Total 5 screened, 2 or 3 job notices have been sent out directly to some roster women, 8 women have shown interest in non-library academic or governmental positions.

    IV. General information sent, but no roster. About 7 general info. letters sent to personnel/affirmative action directors of academic institutions; womens' studies directors; University status of Women Comm. at Arizona. Information also sent out to: U.S. Women's Bureau / AAAS Office of Opportunities in Science / Directory of National Trade and Professional Women / Mayor Alioto of SF (in response to possible aff. action violation at SFPL) / Others.

    V. Publicity: The following have published the TFW job roster news note since the Las Vegas ALA conf. in June:

    LJ 9/15/73
WLB Nov 73
ASIS Newsletter Dec 73
Spokeswoman 10/15/73
TFW Newsletter Oct 73
The Executive Woman (?)

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    SRRT Newsletter Oct 83(?)
Unabashed. Librarian Fall 73
Booklegger Nov/Dec 73
Gold Flower(Mpls) Sept 73
North Country Libn.(MN) Fall 73
Columbia Lib. School Job Newsletter Oct 73
MSRRT Newsletter Sept & Oct 73
HCL Newsletter 9/21/73
American libraries Bsc 73(?)
Jobs in Print (Rutgers) July 73
The Lib. Marketplace (Rutgers) Jul 73
College & Res. Libs. News Dec 73
Others. . .?

    VI. Reactions to roster:

    Employers: Only 7 questionnaires returned to date representing about 9 job screenings. Answers to questions from roster as follows:

    1. No applicants hired at this point.

    2. 5 placed some on file

    3. Reasons for no hirings: inappropriate qualifications cited on five forms; other reasons included incompletion of hiring process.

    4. 4 indicated no specific answers to whether men/women filled the position because job not filled yet. In another case of 3 positions indicated on the questionnaire 1 hired was a man and 2 were women.

    5. Affirmative action cited as a reason for using the roster in 4 cases; not & reason in 3 (other precedures met this requirement according to one form.)

    6. Comments: The range is from intention to continue use of service--"an additional effective method for finding qualified applicants . . . " to dislike of service: "Isn't this a dupl. of efforts with the National Registry of librarians?" and "Pretty 'scraping the barrel people." The comments were quite dependent on how well the coordinator screened; employer's view of how precise the screening should be; how fast the resumes could be sent out; and I suspect also the employer's view of affirmative action.

    VII. Summing it up:

    Plus side: We are up on: Advertisement / Number of women on file / Employer use/ Public libraries asking for roster / Number of middle-management jobs screened for

    We are getting mostly good comments on roster service and its usefulness. Costs have kept even or are lower so far than last year.

    Minus side: Lack of hirings-only one noted since June. Need further questionnaire input. Time-consuming for the roster coordinator (6-16 hrs wk) / It may be used as an easy out for employers / Other methods may put more control in the hands of job-seeking women / May be inaccurate right now, since so many women have been on file for over a year with no contact.

WOMEN'S HISTORY LIBRARY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

    The Women's History Library's Summer Volunteer Intern Program is open to all individuals interested in developing women's resource collections. The deadline for Summer Program (June-September) applications is May 1. Unfortunately, no stipends are available.

    Most of our staff (comprised of over 50 part-time volunteers and work- study students) are now focusing their energies on preparing the Library's material for microfilming. It is in this way that we can assure maximum use of our collections by women everywhere.

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    Our Interns are assisting us in this monumental task. Working at least 30 hours per week, they are involved in preparing 2,000 Topical Files for microfilming. This means some correspondence, inventorying, cataloging, classifying and filing. One-fourth of their time is also spent in helping with general Library office work. Positions in Women's Serials and Women's Studies are also available for Interns.

    Interns will not only have the opportunity to contribute to this vital mission; they also have the staff-only privilege of use of the rich collection of material, created by the donations of hundreds of women in the past six years. We see this as a last chance for people to see and work in the Library in its original setting. By Fall, due to tremendous financial strains the Library will be in storage or housed in another institution, if one is found.

    Applications are being accepted for internships. Due to the shortage of space at the Library, the number of internships is limited; preference will be given to those who can work with us for at least two months.

    This will be the last program since the library will be discontinued as of September 30 due to lack of funds.

    SUMMER INTERNSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE - MAY 1, 1974.

    For information write: Linda Schuck, Project Director, Women's History Library, 2325 Oak, Berkeley, CA 94708.

BARNARD COLLEGE WOMEN'S CENTER CONFERENCE

    The Barnard College Women's Center is sponsoring an academic conference entitled The Scholar and the Feminist to be held at Barnard on Saturday, May 11, 1974. The aim of the conference is to examine the impact of feminism on scholarship through the presentation and discussion of research. Scholars in several disciplines will describe the underlying assumptions in their own work, their selection of methodology the impact of feminist ideology on their scholarship, and the implications of their research for greater understanding of women and their academic fields.

    Anyone who is interested in attending the conference should contact Susan Riemer Sacks, Conference Coordinator, at the Barnard College Women's Center, New York, 10027, or call 212-280-2067.

TFW PROTESTS SEXIST SUBJECT HEADINGS

    The TFW has requested that the RTSD/CCS Subject Analysis Committee take a stand opposing sexist subject headings. A letter to Chairperson Raney J. Williamson, Faculty of Library Science, Toronto, Ont., has requested that the NY Committee meeting agenda include consideration of sex discrimination in subject headings and that members of the TFW be scheduled to give a presentation to the Committee.

    An article by Liz Dickinson, TFW Roster Coordinator addresses the problem of sexist subject headings. See "A Word Game", Emergency Librarian v.l, no.3 February 1974, p.2.



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