NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release: 2003 November 20

For more information -- Glenn A. Walsh:

Daytime: E-Mail < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >

Evening: Telephone 412-561-7876

PUBLIC REQUEST FOR CARNEGIE LIBRARY

TO COMPLY WITH SUNSHINE ACT AND RIGHT-TO-KNOW LAW

AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW

Pittsburgh, Nov. 20 – In a November 19 letter to Ellsworth Brown, President of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Glenn A. Walsh requested that The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh comply with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act and the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, as required by the Pennsylvania Code.
 
In the letter, Mr. Walsh legally explained, in detail, that the Pennsylvania Code requires all State-funded public libraries to fully comply with the Sunshine Act and the Right-to-Know Law. Following this legal explanation, Mr. Walsh made three requests, two of which are within the confines of the Sunshine Act or Right-to-Know Law.
 
Meetings of the Board of Trustees of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh have never been open to the public, as is mandated by the 1986-approved Sunshine Act. Nor has Library business information been forwarded to the public, under the terms of the 1957-enacted Right-to-Know Law. Mr. Walsh’s requests ask that Carnegie Library now comply with both State laws.
 
In the letter, Mr. Walsh pointed-out that the interpretation of State law, described in the letter, is affirmed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries, in their book A Handbook For Public Library Trustees, Fourth Edition, March 1993.
 
The three requests made in Mr. Walsh’s letter are:
 

1) Mr. Walsh requested the opportunity to set-up a meeting between Mr. Brown and several Hazelwood-area residents, to discuss the proposed abandonment of the historic Hazelwood Branch Library building.

2) If the proposed lease, on the new library site, has been executed, Mr. Walsh asked for a copy of the minutes of the Library Board meeting where this lease was approved and for a copy of the lease agreement. This request is covered by the Right-to-Know Law.

3) Hazelwood residents would like to address the members of the Library Board of Trustees, regarding this important issue. Mr. Walsh asked that Carnegie Library Board meetings comply, fully, with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act.

Attached is a copy of the letter to Carnegie Library President Ellsworth Brown, from Glenn A. Walsh, in its entirety.

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