What's Here? - Table of Contents
School Librarians
These are librarians that work in elementary and secondary school. The nature of their work environment requires them to be adequately certified, team players. Therefore, it is expected that they are remunerated adequately to help them stay at the top of their game.
How Are School Librarian Salaries Determined in Nebraska?
The salaries of school librarians in Nebraska are determined by the boards of the respective institutions. A lot of agitation has followed the case for the reduction in the number of professional librarians employed in districts (to be reduced to one qualified and certified adult librarian per district). Although this may be seen as a means to ensure that employed librarians are paid properly, these librarians will be overworked. See more about this here. For salary information make inquiries at the school you are applying to by sending an email.
Librarians and Media Specialists Salaries in urban areas of Nebraska
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | 140 | $63,970 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | 390 | $64,430 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Librarians and Media Specialists Salaries in rural areas of Nebraska
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 100 | $50,740 |
| Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 230 | $55,560 |
| South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | 270 | $55,960 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
How Can One Increase Their Salary?
The school system is fertile ground for career advancement which is why a salary upgrade is not a difficult thing to achieve. The most guaranteed way to get a raise is to show more value both by performing excellently and taking professional development programs.
Are There Any Associations That Provide Help or Resources?
The Future Ready Librarian system has been adopted by Nebraska and is a means for equipping librarians to serve the ever-advancing educational system. This presents an excellent opportunity to grow and show value. Learn more about the program and access available resources here. The Nebraska School Librarians Association (NSLA) has been busy with campaigns concerning Rule 10. This is a body made up of school librarians. It represents, equips, and looks out for their interests. It is a chapter of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). You can obtain relevant resources from the Nebraska Library Commission here.
Public Librarians
State libraries are managed by public librarians and the range of information that they need to have is more extensive. Beatrice Public Library is a good example that caters to people of different ages and interests. As a librarian in such a facility, you will probably be required to host book discussions and other book-related activities.
How Are Public Librarian Salaries Determined in Nebraska?
The salaries of public librarians are usually set by the governing council of the library following state laws. State libraries are important for state development hence; they must be managed by professionals who must be remunerated adequately.
How Can One Increase Their Salary?
Your career advancement options as a public librarian are not as broad as school or academic librarians and this can make it difficult to get a raise along the line. However, you will be better positioned to request a raise when you record ground-breaking success and introduce innovations that improve the library user experience.
Are There Any Associations That Provide Help or Resources?
The Nebraska Library Association (NLA) is a body that represents librarians in the state. They hold yearly conferences that equip librarians with knowledge about the right work conditions they should embrace and how to deliver appropriately as a state librarian. They host a monthly program called “Third Thursday Chat” which strengthens the community of librarians.
Academic Librarians
Academic librarians are employed in universities and other institutions of higher learning. Gaining tenure is a particularly important goal for career advancement here. Librarians who are committed to hard work and career development can do well for themselves.
How Are Academic Librarian Salaries Determined in Nebraska?
The salaries of academic librarians are determined by their employers. The rates are expected to comply with national and state standards. Your remuneration as an academic librarian should also be accompanied by other benefits such as retirement benefits, healthcare insurance, and others. For the University of Nebraska, Omaha (UNO), salaries are handled by the payroll department and you can contact them here for more inquiries. Staff members can have different pay cycles from as low as biweekly up to nine-month pays.
How Can One Increase Their Salary?
The academic environment presents numerous opportunities for career growth and development which can be rewarding for hardworking employees. Academic librarians in Nebraska can get salary raises when they get promoted based on merit. Promotions come with a demonstration of increased capacity via experience or certification. The board of your institution will normally respond to your display of value and resourcefulness with a promotion or a raise based on set evaluation rules.
How Can an Academic Librarian Get Tenured and How Does This Affect Their Lifetime Earning Potential?
The award of tenure to librarians has been questioned repeatedly as some do not believe that librarians should be seen as professionals. However, you can get tenure as an academic librarian in Nebraska. The major requirement is for you to have shown promise and resourcefulness within a compulsory three-year probationary period. For the UNO, you must have spent two of the three years at UNO. Also, the library faculty and /department will set up other criteria for tenure which you must meet to be approved. Learn more about promotions and tenure here.
Are There Any Associations That Provide Help or Resources?
Academic librarians are also members of NLA. The association works together with the American Library Association (ALA) and the government in the best interest of its members.