Economics–national, organizational, and personal–a new survey and more

First, we’ve got a new survey up, which asks: What effect do you think the economic crisis will have on your institution? The results of this should provide some data (non-scientific as it is) about what archivists think will be the areas of greatest impact. At the moment, not surprisingly the top two vote-getters are “Cuts in funding for travel & professional development” and “Cuts in funding for equipment and supplies,” followed by “Vacant positions will not be filled.” I am a little surprised that the next popular choice is “Existing positions will be cut,” but that’s certainly something to take note of. Please enter your votes and post comments on the poll site if you’re one of the people selecting “other” and encourage non-blog-reading-archivists to take the survey too.

Today Library Journal reported “New York Governor Proposes 20% Cut in Library Aid,” and I’m sure we will soon be seeing similar stories regarding archives and historical agencies across the country. Issues of advocacy and lobbying are going to be more important than ever in the near future. Wouldn’t you like to see SAA start a blog or a wiki to keep us posted on what’s happening with archives budgets around the country? (Or should CoSA or NAGARA be doing this?) As always, I’d be happy to help with that effort if one of those organizations is interested.

On the topic of economics on an individual level, Richard Cox had an interesting post yesterday, reviewing the book (Not) Keeping Up With Our Parents: The Decline of the Professional Middle Class by Nan Mooney. Cox wrote:

Mooney presents a carefully research, if depressing, analysis of the weakening financial and social status of professionals, especially those who are in the creative sector or who are committed to contributing to the public good. She describes low salaries, disappearing pension and retirement plans, weakening medical benefits (if any at all), and other similarly depressing concerns (and one reads in disbelief realizing this book appeared before the collapse of Wall Street!).

Mooney ends her book with a call for people to take action rather than passively submit to these working conditions. If you are looking for a place to discuss what to do about salaries and other economic working conditions for archivists, I suggest you go here–the wiki set up by SAA’s Issues and Advocacy Roundtable.

The I&A Roundtable has selected as its focus for the next two years:

To explore issues related to the financial and professional issues archivists and related information professionals face in trying to earn acceptable compensation, access to health care insurance, professional advancement and financial challenges while staying in the archival profession.

The wiki was established as a way to share ideas about how to produce products to explore those issues. You have to set up an account to contribute to the wiki, but all are welcome, whether you’re a member of the roundtable (or SAA) or not. If these issues are important to you, please consider adding your thoughts to the “White Paper/Resource Topic” page.

I think all too often people talk passionately about issues related to compensation (in person or online), but then don’t translate those words into actions–either because they lack a venue or because their intentions evaporate under the demands of everyday life. You have a venue now. If these issues are important to you, sign on to the wiki, add your thoughts, and get involved. (But don’t forget to take the survey on the right . . . )

6 Comments

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  By jordon, November 14, 2008 @ 10:37 am

  I am glad you posted this. I have a general question regarding endowments of private universities, because I don’t understand economics. There is talk that some endowments are going to take a hit by as much as 30% over the next three years. Has this always happened at educational institutions during times of economic crisis? Or are private universities getting burned because they played the market too aggressively? Call it naivete, but I am agog that some private Unis are talking ominously about actually cutting staff, like they are GM or Goldman-Sachs. Is this just par for the course, or did universities fall prey to irrational exuberance just like their free-market counterparts?

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  By jordon, November 14, 2008 @ 10:44 am

  Oh, and I posted this to my facebook page, but in other library news, Philadelphia is trying to close some local library branches to make up for a billion dollar budget deficit.

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  By Peter Van Garderen, November 14, 2008 @ 11:11 am

  I predict a move towards free, open-source software as a cost-saving measure

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  By jordon, November 14, 2008 @ 2:04 pm

  Peter, as you know, open source software requires staff that knows how to implement it. I agree with you that in the long run free software saves a business money, but directors aren’t normally this visionary, or you would see every library in our country running open-source ILSs. Second, free software has been around for a while now, and while it continues to make inroads, there are still institutions that are entrenched and committed to using proprietary ILSs. (Some of us work at such places!) So, while it makes practical sense to move towards open-source models, organizations rarely operate practically!

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  By Kate T., November 17, 2008 @ 5:46 am

  Note today’s New York Times article: “Facing Deficits, States Get Out Sharper Knives,” at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/us/17fiscal.html?hp

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  By Gordon, November 17, 2008 @ 12:51 pm

  Here in Tennessee, no surprise we’re facing the same dilemma…

  Bredesen: Budget cuts could be up to $500 million
  Gov. Phil Bredesen warned Wednesday that he will likely have to cut $400 million to $500 million from his proposed budget, which is expected to put new spending and existing programs on the chopping block…
  http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59753

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