The primary purpose of the 1997 Biennial Salary Survey was to track the salary of library professionals across types of libraries, position titles and geographic regions. The data collected also provides other important observations regarding the current law library community and emerging trends. The information included here focuses on that data.
RESPONSE RATE
1A. Surveys were mailed to all law libraries with AALL members on staff in three broad categories. Surveys were sent to 920 Private Libraries, 271 Government Libraries and 193 of the larger Academic Libraries. (Private Libraries include law firms as well as corporate legal departments. Government Libraries include state, court and county libraries.)
1B. The 55% response rate for the 1997 Salary Survey was excellent and very similar to the rate of response for the 1995 survey (56%).
1C. As with the previous survey, the response rate was highest among Academic Libraries.
1D. As with the 1995 Salary Survey, the results of this survey can be generalized to all AALL libraries; however, results may not be representative of all legal libraries.
|
Table 1
|
1997 Response Rate
|
1995 Response Rate
|
|
Academic Libraries
|
67%
|
75%
|
|
Government Libraries
|
54%
|
62%
|
|
Private Libraries
|
53%
|
51%
|
|
Total
|
55%
|
56%
|
HARD COPY AND ELECTRONIC SPENDING
2. While Academic and Government libraries show a modest increase in their average information budgets compared to the 1995 survey findings, Private Firm/Corporate Libraries report a more sizable increase of over 20%.
|
Table 2
|
Comparison of Average 1997 and 1995 Budgets
|
|
Type of Library
|
Average 1997 Information Budget
|
Average 1995 Information Budget
|
$ Difference
|
% Difference
|
|
Academic
|
$780,100
|
$759,100
|
+$21,000
|
+2.8%
|
|
Government
|
$317,700
|
$308,100
|
+$9,600
|
+3.1%
|
|
Private
|
$644,900
|
$535,200
|
+$109,700
|
+20.5%
|
3. On average, Academic Libraries have the highest annual information budget at over $780,000 followed by Private Libraries at close to $655,000. Government Libraries have the smallest average budget at $317,000 for hard copy and electronic information.
|
Table 3
|
Average 1997 Information Budget Per Library
|
|
Type of Library
|
Hard Copy Information
|
Electronic Information
|
Total Budget
|
|
Academic
|
$677,700
|
$102,400
|
$780,100
|
|
Government
|
$269,600
|
$48,100
|
$317,700
|
|
Private
|
$268,500
|
$376,400
|
$644,900
|
4A. While Academic and Government libraries spend the majority of their information budget on hard copy information, Private Firm/Corporate Libraries allocate more than half of their information budget to electronic information.
4B. This pattern of spending is similar to that reported in the 1995 study.
|
Table 4
|
Percentage of Total Information Budget
|
| |
1997 Findings
|
1995 Findings
|
| |
Hard Copy Information
|
Electronic Information
|
Hard Copy Information
|
Electronic Information
|
|
Academic
|
87%
|
13%
|
86%
|
14%
|
|
Government
|
85%
|
15%
|
76%
|
24%
|
|
Private
|
41%
|
58%
|
46%
|
54%
|
5. The current total of 1384 libraries with AALL members on staff have budgeted an estimated $830 million on hard copy and electronic information.
|
Table 5
|
AALL LIBRARIES 1997 ESTIMATED INFORMATION BUDGETS
|
|
Type of Library
|
Number of AALL Libraries
|
Average Total Information Budget Per Library
|
Total AALL member Libraries Information Budget
|
|
Academic
|
193
|
$780,100
|
$150,559,000
|
|
Government
|
271
|
$317,700
|
$86,097,000
|
|
Private
|
920
|
$644,900
|
$593,308,000
|
|
Total
|
1384
|
|
$829,964,000
|
6A. The 1995 total spending for all AALL member libraries of $848 million is slightly
higher than the 1997 findings.
6.B. There was a 15% decrease in the number of member libraries from 1995 to 1997.
This decrease from 1637 libraries in 1995 to 1384 in 1997 accounts for the decline in the total information spending among AALL libraries. (As noted in Table 2 average spending per library is higher in 1997 than in 1995.)
|
Table 6
|
AALL LIBRARIES 1995 ESTIMATED INFORMATION BUDGETS
|
|
Type of Library
|
Number of AALL Libraries
|
Average Total Information Budget Per Library
|
Total AALL member Libraries Information Budget
|
|
Academic
|
187
|
$759,100
|
$141,952,000
|
|
Government
|
302
|
$308,100
|
$ 93,046,000
|
|
Private
|
1145
|
$535,200
|
$612,804,000
|
|
Total
|
1637
|
|
$847,802,000
|
7. Combining the slight increase in average spending per library with the reduced number of AALL libraries, the total 1997 spending among AALL member libraries declined only 2% from the 1995 total.
|
Table 7
|
COMPARISON OF 1997 and 1995 AALL LIBRARY INFORMATION BUDGETS
|
|
Type of Library
|
Total 1997 Budget
|
Total 1995 Budget
|
$
Difference
|
% Difference
|
|
Academic
|
$150,559,000
|
$141,952,000
|
$ 8,607,000
|
+6.1%
|
|
Government
|
$86,097,000
|
$ 93,046,000
|
-$ 6,949,000
|
-7.5%
|
|
Private
|
$593,308,000
|
$612,804,000
|
-$19,496,000
|
-3.2%
|
|
Total
|
$829,964,000
|
$847,802,000
|
-$17,838,000
|
-2.1%
|
PROFESSIONAL AND PARAPROFESSIONAL STAFFING
8. The 1997 Salary Survey gathered information on a total of over 4500 staff members in Academic, Government and Private libraries.
|
Table 8
|
1997 Library Staffing for AALL Libraries
|
| |
Professionals
|
Para Professionals
|
Library Clerks & Computer Tech
|
Total
|
|
All Libraries
|
2487
|
1196
|
847
|
4530
|
|
Academic
|
1023
|
583
|
330
|
1936
|
|
Government
|
472
|
244
|
170
|
886
|
|
Private
|
992
|
369
|
347
|
1708
|
9. Although not statistically significant, there was a slight decline in the average number of professionals per library in Academic and Private Libraries, compared to the 1995 survey.
|
Table 9
|
1997 Survey Finding
|
1995 Survey Finding
|
| |
Average Number Per Library (FTE)
|
Average Number Per Library (FTE)
|
| |
Professionals
|
Para Professionals
|
Professionals
|
Para Professionals
|
|
All Libraries
|
2.99
|
2.37
|
3.55
|
2.35
|
|
Academic
|
7.47
|
7.55
|
8.0
|
6.9
|
|
Government
|
2.9
|
2.07
|
2.35
|
1.43
|
|
Private
|
1.81
|
1.08
|
2.85
|
1.54
|
10. Across the three types of libraries surveyed, Academic Libraries have the greatest number overall.
|
Table 10
|
AVERAGE # OF STAFF MEMBERS (FTE)
1997 SURVEY
|
| |
Academic Library
|
Government
Library
|
Private Library
|
|
Professional
|
7.47
|
2.90
|
1.81
|
|
Paraprofessional
|
7.55
|
2.07
|
1.08
|
|
Students/Clerks
|
6.54
|
1.14
|
.73
|
|
Total Staff
|
21.56
|
6.11
|
3.62
|
11A. Even though the smallest percentage of surveyed libraries were Academic Libraries, the largest percentage of employees in the survey work at Academic Libraries. While Academic Libraries represent only 17% of the reporting libraries, close to half (43%) of library professionals are employed in Academic Libraries.
11B. As noted above (Table 8), the staff of Academic Libraries are significantly larger than those of Government and Private Libraries. Forty-three percent (43%) of all employees (professional, paraprofessional, clerks and computer technicians) and 42% of all professionals work in Academic Libraries.
|
Table 11
|
Academic Libraries
|
Government
Libraries
|
Private Libraries
|
|
Percent of Libraries Surveyed
|
17%
|
19%
|
63%
|
|
Percent of Employees
|
43%
|
20%
|
38%
|
|
Percent of Professional Employees
|
42%
|
19%
|
41%
|
12. Although not statistically significant, the 1997 survey shows a slight decline in the number of professionals per library (see Table 8) as well as the ratio of professionals to paraprofessionals. This may indicate a trend of staff reductions that should be closely monitored in the future.
|
Table 12
|
1997 Survey Finding
|
1995 Survey Finding
|
| |
Ratio of Professionals to Para Professionals (FTE)
|
Ratio of Professionals to Para Professionals (FTE)
|
|
All Libraries
|
1.26 to 1
|
1.51 to 1
|
|
Academic
|
.99 to 1
|
1.16 to 1
|
|
Government
|
1.4 to 1
|
1.64 to 1
|
|
Private
|
1.68 to 1
|
1.85 to 1
|
EXPERIENCE
13A. Legal library staffs seem quite stable. On average library staff members have been at their current position from six to eight years.
13B. Both surveys show staff members at Academic and Government Libraries have been at their current position longer than those at Private Libraries.
|
Table 13
|
Average Years at Current Position
|
|
Type of Library
|
1997 Findings
|
1995 Findings
|
|
Academic
|
7.6
|
6.5
|
|
Government
|
7.9
|
7.1
|
|
Private
|
6.0
|
5.4
|
14A. As in 1995, on average, professional staff members in the �97 study have been at their current position slightly longer than paraprofessionals.
14B. Eighty four percent of professional staff members and 81% of paraprofessionals have two or more years experience at their current position.
|
Table 14
|
AVERAGE YEARS AT CURRENT POSITION
|
|
Position
|
1997 Findings
|
1995 Findings
|
|
Professional
|
7.7
|
7.1
|
|
Para Professional
|
6.9
|
6.0
|
Other Responsibilities
15A. The majority of library staff members do not have responsibilities outside the library. However, among the three types of libraries, staff members at Academic Libraries are more likely to have some other responsibilities than Government or Private Library staff members. Close to half (45%) of Academic Library staff members have some responsibility outside the library.
15B. Twenty percent of Private Library staff members have responsibility for two or more functions outside the library.
|
Table 15
|
NUMBER OF RESPONSIBILITIES OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY
(1997)
|
| |
Academic
|
Government
|
Private
|
|
One
|
38%
|
13%
|
18%
|
|
Two
|
7%
|
4%
|
11%
|
|
Three
|
N/A
|
<1%
|
4%
|
|
Four
|
N/A
|
0
|
2%
|
|
Five
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
<1%
|
|
Six
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
3%
|
|
Seven
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
<1%
|
|
Total with some outside responsibility
|
45%
|
17%
|
37%
|
|
NOTE: Academic Libraries were asked about 2 other responsibilities, Government Libraries were asked about 4 and Private Libraries were asked about 7
|
16A. Academic Libraries with their larger staffs seem to necessitate greater management responsibilities. Ninety-three (93%) of respondents from Academic Libraries supervise 10 or more staff members. Only 17% of respondents from Court Libraries and 6% of respondents from Private Libraries supervise a staff of 10 or more.
16B. While 15% of survey respondents overall have some responsibility for IS functions outside of the library, respondents from Academic Libraries are more likely to have IS responsibilities.
|
Table 16
|
SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
(1997 FINDINGS)
|
|
Type of Library
|
IS
(Outside Library)
|
Records Management
|
Docket
|
Conflict Management (Outside Library)
|
Marketing (Outside Library)
|
Supervise Paralegals (Outside Library)
|
Other Responsibilities
|
|
Academic
|
38%
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
13%
|
|
Government
|
8%
|
4%
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
2%
|
12%
|
|
Private
|
11%
|
18%
|
11%
|
13%
|
10%
|
7%
|
12%
|
17. The number of staff members with responsibilities outside the library in 1997 closely mirrors findings in the 1995 survey.
|
Table 17
|
SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
(1995 FINDINGS)
|
|
Type of Library
|
IS
(Outside Library)
|
Records Management
|
Docket
|
Conflict Management (Outside Library)
|
Marketing (Outside Library)
|
Supervise Paralegals (Outside Library)
|
Other Responsibilities
|
|
Academic
|
33%
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
16%
|
|
Government
|
8%
|
9%
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
2%
|
12%
|
|
Private
|
10%
|
18%
|
9%
|
13%
|
10%
|
7%
|
11%
|
ACADEMIC LAW LIBRARY MAKE UP>
18A. Academic Libraries serve an average of 610 students and 35 faculty members.
18B. The ratio of library professionals in 1997 is very similar to the findings in the 1995 study.
|
Table 18
|
SUMMARY OF ACADEMIC LIBRARY STAFFING
|
| |
1997 FINDINGS
|
1995 FINDINGS
|
|
Average Number of Students
|
610
|
660
|
|
Average Number of Faculty
|
35
|
35
|
|
Ratio of Library Professionals to Students
|
1 to 81.7
|
1 to 82.5
|
|
Ratio of Library Professionals to Faculty
|
1 to 4.7
|
1 to 4.4
|
|
Ratio of Library Staff to Faculty
|
1 to 1.6
|
1 to 1.6
|
|
Ratio of Library Staff to Students
|
1 to 28.3
|
1 to 29.3
|
18C. More than one quarter (28%) of professionals at Academic Libraries are on a tenure track
18D. More than three out of four (78%) of directors at Academic Libraries are on a tenure track.
18E. More than one third (38%) of professionals at Academic Libraries teach courses.
PRIVATE LAW LIBRARY MAKE UP
19A. As noted earlier (Table 10), Private Law Libraries tend to have much smaller staffs than other libraries. As a result of the small staff, each private library professional supports 53 attorneys, on average.
19B. Compared to 1995, in 1997 Private Firm/Corporate Libraries have, on average, smaller staffs supporting more attorneys.
|
Table 19
|
SUMMARY OF PRIVATE/CORPORATE LIBRARY STAFFING
|
| |
1997 FINDINGS
|
1995 FINDINGS
|
|
Average Number of Attorneys per firm
|
95
|
88
|
|
Average number of Library Professionals per Firm
|
1.8
|
2.9
|
|
Average Number of Paraprofessionals per Firm
|
1.1
|
1.5
|
|
Average number of clerks and Students
|
.7
|
.9
|
|
Average Staff Size
|
3.6
|
5.3
|
|
Ratio of Library Professionals to Attorneys
|
1 to 52.7
|
1 to 30.3
|
|
Ratio of Library Staff to Attorneys
|
1 to 26.4
|
1 to 16.6
|
20A. As noted earlier (Table 15), over one third of Private Library staff members have responsibilities outside of the library. The table below shows Directors, One Person Library, Associate/Chief Librarian and Department Heads or Computer/Automation Librarian are the most likely to have outside responsibilities.
20B. The asterisk in the table indicates that staff members at that position with responsibilities outside the library receive a significantly higher salary than staff at the same position who do not have outside responsibilities. Staff members in one person libraries, directors and paraprofessionals with outside responsibilities are paid significantly more than those with no outside responsibilities
|
PRIVATE LIBRARY STAFF MEMBERS WITH RESPONSIBILITIES OUTSIDE LIBRARY
(1997)
|
|
Table 20
|
|
Significantly Higher Salary*
|
|
Position
|
Percentage
|
|
|
One Person Library
|
22%
|
*
|
|
Director/Chief Librarian
|
25%
|
*
|
|
Assoc./Ast./Chief Librarian
|
16%
|
|
|
Supervisory Librn/Dept. Head
|
12%
|
|
|
Computer/Automation Librarian
|
13%
|
|
|
Foreign/International Librarian
|
0%
|
|
|
Government Doc. Librarian
|
8%
|
|
|
Reader Services Librarian
|
3%
|
|
|
Technical Services Librarian
|
6%
|
|
|
Generalist
|
6%
|
|
|
Library Assist/Paraprofessional
|
8%
|
*
|
|
Library Clerk
|
4%
|
|
|
Computer Technician
|
0%
|
|
|
*Salary higher compared to those at the same position but with no outside responsibilities.
|
21A. The average difference in salary for the three positions with a significant difference in salary was between 11% and 16%.
|
Table 21
|
Comparison of Average Salary
(1997)
|
|
Position
|
Have No Outside Responsibilities
|
Have Some Outside Responsibilities
|
$ Difference
|
% Difference
|
|
One Person Library
|
$39,681
|
$46,171
|
$6490
|
16%
|
|
Director/Chief Librarian
|
$57,315
|
$63,405
|
$6090
|
11%
|
|
Library Assist/ Paraprofessional
|
$26,553
|
$30,444
|
$3891
|
15%
|
|
None of the other positions had a statistical difference between the salaries of those with outside responsibilities and those with no outside responsibilities. However, it should be noted the number of staffers with other responsibilities within a given position code was small making it difficult to identify statistical differences.
|
GOVERNMENT LIBRARY MAKE UP
22. One in six government libraries in the 1997 survey are federally funded.
|
Table 22
|
PERCENT OF FEDERALLY FUNDED GOVERNMENT LIBRARIES
|
|
1997 SURVEY FINDINGS
|
16%
|
|
1995 SURVEY FINDINGS
|
18%
|
EDUCATION
23A. Twenty three percent (23%) of library professionals have a dual MLS and LLB/JD
23B. Eighty six percent (86%) of paraprofessionals have a BA degree or higher
|
Table 23
|
Highest Level of Education
(1997)
|
| |
Total Sample
|
Professionals
|
|
MLS&LLB/JD
|
16%
|
23%
|
|
LLB/JD
|
4%
|
4%
|
|
MLS
|
39%
|
55%
|
RACE
24. The race distribution for this survey is very similar to that reported in the 1995 survey
|
Table 24
|
RACE
(1997)
|
| |
Total
|
Professionals
|
Paraprofessionals/ Clerks/ Computer Techs
|
|
White
|
82%
|
90%
|
73%
|
|
Black/ African American
|
10%
|
4%
|
16%
|
|
Hispanic
|
3%
|
1%
|
5%
|
|
Asian/ Pacific Islander
|
5%
|
4%
|
6%
|
|
Other
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
25A. An average of 12 years experience among library professionals and paraprofessionals indicates a stable employee base.
25B. Close to two thirds of professionals (63%) have more than 10 years experience.
25C. One third (31%) of paraprofessionals have more than 10 years experience.
|
Table 25
|
AVERAGE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE (1997)
|
| |
Total
|
Professionals
|
Para- professionals/ Clerks/ Computer Tech
|
|
Average Years of Library Experience
|
11.9
|
14.4
|
8.6
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Less than 2 Yrs
|
8%
|
4%
|
13%
|
|
2-5 Yrs
|
21%
|
14%
|
30%
|
|
6-10 Yrs
|
22%
|
20%
|
26%
|
|
11-15 Yrs
|
17%
|
18%
|
15%
|
|
16 or More Yrs
|
32%
|
45%
|
16%
|
26. Among professional AALL members, the years experience and years at current position appears to be increasing. A continuation of this trend may indicate a lack of new entrants into the profession.
|
Table 26A
|
AVERAGE YEARS OF LIBRARY EXPERIENCE
|
| |
1997 Findings
|
1995 Findings
|
|
Total
|
11.9
|
10.8
|
|
Professionals
|
14.4
|
11.2
|
|
Table 26B
|
AVERAGE YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION
|
| |
1997 Findings
|
1995 Findings
|
|
Total
|
7.1
|
6.2
|
|
Professionals
|
9.4
|
7.1
|
AALL MEMBERSHIP
27A. Forty four (44%) of the Library Staff Members covered in the Salary Survey are members of the AALL.
27B. Perhaps reflecting the limited entry of new members to the Legal Librarian profession, the AALL seems to be having difficulty attracting new members. A clear majority (74%) of those reporting AALL members have been members for more than 5 years.
27C. The vast majority of AALL members are professional librarians. Seventy nine percent (79%) of the Professionals and only 2% of the Paraprofessional/Clerk/Computer Tech group are AALL members
|
Table 27
|
SUMMARY OF AALL MEMBERSHIP
|
| |
1997
|
1995
|
|
Average Years of Membership
|
11.9
|
10.1
|
| |
|
|
|
Less than 2 Yrs
|
6%
|
6%
|
|
2-5 Yrs
|
20%
|
25%
|
|
6-10 Yrs
|
27%
|
29%
|
|
11 or More Yrs
|
47%
|
40%
|
BONUS
28A. The majority of library staff at Private Law Libraries receive a bonus.
28B. Among those at Private Libraries, 61% receive a bonus.
28C. Among those who receive a bonus, the majority receive less than $3000.
|
Table 28 BONUS
RECIPIENTS
(1997)
|
|
Less than $3000
|
83%
|
|
$3000 to $10,000
|
16%
|
|
More than $10,000
|
1%
|