Disincentivizing Dissent, Ctd

by Chris Bodenner

A reader writes:

An interesting side note to the tenure discussion, and one you don't often read about, is tenured librarians. Many librarians working at academic institutions across the country have tenure just like professors do - and in many cases, with the same benefits and salary.

Avoiding the question of why this ever happened in the first place, the result is that they have jobs for life, take months off for sabbaticals (with nothing to show for it when they come back), and make the salary a full professor would (in the Midwest, where I am, this can mean $75,000-85,000 a year). And let us remember that most of them have only a master's degree - and do not teach classes!

All this at a time when they are struggling to even be relevant and find something to do with their time in this Google age. Library budgets are cut, staff let go, materials and collections trimmed, but the overpaid librarian stays - to do what?  Make lists, answer the occasional reference question, and attend meetings.

So, should tenure be abolished? For librarians, you betcha!