B.R. library director’s salary trails La. colleagues’ pay, report says

As the Metro Council begins to consider tonight a proposal to raise the pay scale for the next East Baton Rouge Parish Library director, a 2010 statistical report for public libraries in Louisiana shows that library system directors in neighboring parishes were making more than Baton Rouge’s director. For example, the library directors of Acadia and Ascension parishes were paid $111,786 and $90,510 in base salary, respectively, in 2010. Former Baton Rouge library Director David Farrar was slated to make $89,000 this year. On Thursday, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library System sent a letter to council members requesting an increase in the current pay grade for director as it currently searches for a new one. “State comparisons also reveal that the current pay grade for library director lags well behind systems with fewer staff, smaller branch sizes less value in real estate and inventory, and smaller operating budgets,” the letter states. The library board wants the director pay grade to range from $115,588 to $160,000, with $133,998 being the midpoint. Meanwhile, in the 2010 report, the director of the Shreveport Memorial Library made $110,698; the director of the New Orleans Public Library made $105,000, and the director of Jefferson Parish Library made $101,675. While an amendment to the city-parish’s pay plan will be introduced tonight, council members aren’t expected to vote on it until June 27. The council meets at 4 p.m. on the third floor of City Hall, 222 St. Louis St. You can see the complete agenda here. —Adam Pearson