COUNTYWIDE : County Librarians Say Pay Is Below Par

Ventura County librarians say they earn less than their counterparts in seven other Southern California counties, and they are asking for a raise as part of a county salary review.

County librarians asked the Ventura County Board of Supervisors two weeks ago to consider them specifically in a county study of wage parity.

David Combe, a librarian who works at the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, said county librarians are paid 18% less than librarians in similar jobs in the seven surrounding counties. The wage gap has led to an increase in vacancies at the county, and 6 1/2 positions are now open, he said.

Salaries for entry-level librarians with a master’s degree in library science are $28,211, while Combe’s research shows a seven-county average of $33,275, he said. The top salary for librarians with a master’s degree and at least two years experience is $31,826, while the average salary for similarly qualified librarians in the seven-county area is $37,033, he said.

The salaries are substantially lower than in surrounding public-employer jurisdictions, Combe said, “which really makes it hard to recruit someone here, not to mention the high cost of living.”

Dixie Adeniran, director of the Ventura County Library Services Agency, said the salary shortfall highlighted in Combe’s survey is “a grave concern” that has made it hard to recruit new workers, she said. At least four have left Ventura County in the past year for higher-paying jobs, Adeniran said.

Salary parity is almost certain to be discussed during upcoming bargaining between the county and the Public Employees Assn. of Ventura County, which represents most of the county’s 7,000 workers, Combe said. Because of a tight budget, the county has ruled out across-the-board, cost-of-living wage increases this year.

County Personnel Director Ronald Komers said employees’ salaries are reviewed on a regular basis to see how they compare with those of public and private employers. He said librarians’ pay, like other employees’ salaries, will be considered during the bargaining.

The county operates libraries in Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley, Ojai, Ventura and several unincorporated communities.