Trafford library's search for library director hampered by funding limitations

For almost four months, the Trafford Community Public Library has remained open six days a week thanks to volunteers.

The small library on Brinton Avenue has not had a director since Jessica Beichler took over as the Penn Area Library director in Harrison City in early September. Beichler, who replaced retiring librarian Dorene Miller at Penn Area, had worked at the Trafford library since May 2017.

To maintain the current schedule, “we really need a couple of more volunteers,” said Joan Monroe, a library board member.

The Trafford library turned to the Westmoreland Library Network, a consortium of the county’s public libraries, for help in the search for a leader that began in August. The library is seeking someone to work 20 hours a week at $14 per hour, according to the advertisement on the library network’s website.

The vacancy has attracted some qualified candidates, said Dana Farabaugh, library network district consultant who is assisting with the search. Candidates must have at least a two-year college degree, nine library credit hours and some experience.

Small community libraries are hard-pressed to find sufficient money to pay qualified librarians.

“They’re not able to offer competitive salaries,” Farabaugh said.

Trafford is not alone among local libraries seeking personnel. The West Newton Public Library is seeking a part-time director to work 15 hours a week at $15 an hour, according to an ad on the library network website. The West Newton library also relies on a volunteer staff.

Librarians in the seven-county Pittsburgh region, which includes Allegheny, Armstrong and Westmoreland, make an average salary of $53,670, with the average entry level salary at $33,530. The salaries of public school librarians are included in the data.

The Greensburg Hempfield Area Library recently advertised for a full-time children’s librarian, which requires candidates to have a master’s degree. Salary range for the position was $24,000–$30,000, based on experience.

There are students in the University of Pittsburgh’s Master of Library and Information Science program who are opting for the public library track, said Elizabeth Mahoney, associate chair in Pitt’s MLIS program.

“We have a number of people” interested in pursuing a career in school and community libraries, Mahoney said.

She acknowledged that a small library’s ability to pay a librarian can make it difficult to attract graduates to that position.

But, Mahoney said that many students see libraries fulfilling a mission carved out by Andrew Carnegie, who wanted “the library be the place in the community for civil discourse.”

“Many of the students are interested in fomenting civil discourse,” Mahoney said.