A picture of the banner hanging from AFSCME International Union’s headquarters building in Washington, D.C.

April 14th is National Library Workers Day. It is a day set aside during National Library Week to recognize the valuable contributions library workers make to their communities. AFSCME, the largest union representing library workers, has more than 20,000 members in libraries across the country. This year, perhaps more than ever before, these workers deserve recognition and thanks.

As recently reported by the New York Times, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News and a host of other media, libraries are busier than ever due to the economic downturn AFSCME library members are under extra pressure as they confront this dramatic increase in patrons at the same time that they face often severe budget cuts and shortened hours. National Library Workers Day provides an opportunity to honor these employees who are on the frontlines helping workers and families during these difficult times.

AFSCME is a leader in promoting better salaries and working conditions. It was an AFSCME local in San Jose, Calif., that led the first strike for pay equity in 1981. In 1998, AFSCME library workers in Boston won a long struggle for job upgrades. District Council 37 library workers in New York City, Queens and Brooklyn received pay upgrades after long campaigns over the past 8 years. Most recently, AFSCME library workers led the fight against closures at the Free Library of Philadelphia.

The American Library Association encourages you to recognize your stellar library members by submitting their names to their Galaxy of Stars and by joining their NLWD Facebook fan page.

During National Library Week (April 13-19), AFSCME recognizes the hard-working and indispensable librarians and library employees who guide our nation’s readers to the wealth of knowledge found in books, the Internet and other resources within their institutions. AFSCME, which represents more than 20,000 library workers nationwide, is using this occasion to call for increased library funding. Notes AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee:

“As the nation feels the pain of the weakening economy, people are turning to their libraries for resources to find employment and public services, to advance their education, and to learn. AFSCME salutes the library workers who make more than 123,000 libraries across the country happen.”

To learn more, check out the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA), a nonprofit professional organization established to promote the mutual professional interests of librarians and other library workers.