Library staff urge higher pay as Camden County summer programming resumes; board clarifies negotiation process

Sarah Junich, a youth-services librarian with the Camden County Library System and president of a local union unit, told commissioners the library's contract negotiations had not proceeded in good faith and that proposed raises recommended to staff were not commensurate with New Jersey Library Association minimums. Junich said the most recent offer to library staff was 3 percent while administration and other bargaining units were offered 3.25 percent; she said the county’s current salary levels left many librarians below professional benchmarks and that a librarian I would not reach $50,000 even with the offer.