Ep. 5 The Pink Collar

The gendered history of Robarts Library. This episode of The Unquiet Library: 50 Years of Robarts Library explores the gendered history of the John P. Robarts Research Library through 2021 oral-history interviews, framing librarianship as a “pink collar” profession dominated by women yet often led by men and undervalued in pay and influence. Kathleen Scheaffer explains that a 2019 gender salary-gap settlement for U of T librarians resulted from a University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) grievance and created a joint working group to continually audit salaries and address systemic barriers across career stages. Retired librarians recount key struggles: Carole Moore describes the 1974 “reference revolution” sparked by Anne Woodsworth’s dismissal after seeking pay equity, leading to committees and more consultative management; Susan Johnston highlights safety and late-night working conditions; Debbie Green discusses undervalued service work, sexism, and pay differentials; and Evelyn Houtman describes the “glass escalator,” including interview dynamics and men advancing quickly in administration.  Index00:00 Unquiet Library Episode 5: The Pink Collar01:34 Introduction 04:49 Interview with Carole Moore 15:44 Interview with Susan Johnston 18:17 Interview with Debbie Green 25:09 Interview with Eveline Houtman 28:34 Conclusion To learn more about the history of Robarts Library, visit uoft.me/robarts50. Follow us @unquietlibrarypodcast on Instagram, Blue Sky or TikTok for additional content and updates.    Additional Information about the 2019 gender-based salary gap settlement at U of T: UTFA Instrumental in Securing 3.9% Salary Increase to Remedy Gender-Based Salary Gap for Female Librarians | University of Toronto Faculty Association Gender-Based Salary Equity – Division of the Vice-President & Provost Equitable compensation | CAUT  Pay Equity Act  Theme music:  Felipe Sarro, Bach-Siloti - Prelude BWV 855a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication  Sound credits: 2 08 Br Lib amb 5.wav by ERH -- https://freesound.org/s/51632/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 R120120_walking_through_building.wav by reinsamba -- https://freesound.org/s/142929/ -- License: Attribution 4.0    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.