Resident urges higher pay and facility improvements for Oconee County library system

Victoria Landon, a Salem resident representing Citizens Advocating for Education (CAFE), urged the Oconee County Council during public comment on May 6 to increase funding for the Oconee County Library System, raise the posted youth services librarian salary and address facility shortcomings at branch libraries.

Landon said the youth services librarian position has been posted “for several months” and that the advertised starting salary of $47,645 plus benefits is lower than the 2024 median for public librarians in South Carolina and not competitive with a local living‑wage estimate. “A highly qualified youth services librarian is what the children and families of Oconee County need and deserve,” Landon said, citing her experience as a former school librarian.

Landon cited local child poverty and school lunch statistics during her remarks and tied library access to early literacy outcomes. She said Baby Read, a local nonprofit she volunteers with, meets at the Seneca library and that the Seneca and Westminster branch facilities lack adequate space for family reading sessions. “Books are costly and a luxury for many of our families,” she said, urging the council to consider salaries and facility upgrades so libraries can expand outreach to children too young for school libraries.

Council members acknowledged the comment and asked staff about the hiring process and the recent county salary study. County staff said library staff were included in an October 2023 to September 2024 staffing study that adjusted pay scales; staff also described current outreach and recruitment platforms (including Facebook and Indeed) and said they would provide additional information on applicant counts.

There was no formal council action during the meeting to change library funding or hire staff; council members asked staff to provide application numbers and said they would consider the request as part of upcoming budget discussions.