P.O. Box 1041

                                                                                                Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.

                                                                                                Telephone: 412-561-7876

                                                                                                Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >

                                                                                                Internet Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >

                                                                                                2004 October 4

 

By Certified Mail; Return Receipt Requested:

 

Frank J. Lucchino, Chairman, Executive Committee

Board of Trustees

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

4400 Forbes Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-4080

 

Dear Mr. Lucchino:

 

With the planned retirement of the current Library Director, of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the Library now has a golden opportunity to hire a trained librarian, as Library Director, and, in this regard, come back into compliance with State Law.

 

Title 22, Chapter 141.21 of the Pennsylvania Code states:

 

In approving and disapproving plans for the use of State funds by local libraries, decisions by the State Librarian will be determined by the following criteria:...

 

(2) Achievement of standards of service. Whether the plan leads toward the achievement of the following applicable standards:…

 

                (iv) Personnel. The retaining of library personnel shall be in conformity with the following:...

 

                                (C) The library shall be administered by head librarian certified as follows, except that no library shall be deprived of State aid because of having a noncertified head librarian appointed prior to January 15, 1970:

 

Population                                                                           Required Certification

                                                                                                of Head Librarian

 

0—9,999                                                                               Library Assistant

10,000—19,999                                                                   Provisional Librarian

20,000 and more                                                                 Professional Librarian

 

Please note that Title 22, Chapter 133.4 of the Pennsylvania Code defines a “Professional Librarian:”

 

133.4  Professional Librarian.

 

Upon application to the State Librarian, a certificate of professional librarian shall be issued if the applicant meets one or more of the following requirements:

 

 (1) Has at least a bachelor’s degree from a 4-year college or university approved by the appropriate Commonwealth agency or accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, or equivalent accrediting agency, and (emphasis added) has a 5th-year degree in library service from a school approved by the appropriate Commonwealth agency or accredited by the American Library Association.

 

(2) Successfully passes an examination given under the auspices of the State Librarian demonstrating knowledge and experience equivalent to the academic requirements of paragraph (1).

 

Frank J. Lucchino                                 2004 October 4                                      Page 2 of 2

 

 

(3) Was employed on June 14, 1961, as a head librarian in a Commonwealth public library, the individual service area of which contained more than 20,000 persons.

 

(4) Was employed in a Commonwealth public library on June 14, 1961, in a position which was classified by the employer as requiring a professional librarian.

 

(5) Is certified as a professional librarian or the equivalent by another state or country, and who, to the satisfaction of the State Librarian has qualifications equivalent to those required of other applicants.

 

Regrettably, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has not been in compliance with these sections of Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code for approximately six years. With the planned retirement of the current Carnegie Library Director, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has a golden opportunity to come back into compliance with State law, along with all other State-funded public libraries in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 

I urge you, and the Board of Trustees of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to make compliance with Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code one of your chief goals, as you search for a new Library Director for The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

 

Glenn A. Walsh

 

gaw

 

Attachment: Excerpts from Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code

[ Pennsylvania Code Title 22, Chapter 133.4 *** Pennsylvania Code Title 22, Chapter 141.21]

 

Copy:     Members of the Board if Trustees, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Members of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh

                Tom Murphy, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh

                Tom Flaherty, City Controller, City of Pittsburgh

                Members of the Board of Directors, Allegheny Regional Asset District

                David Donahoe, Executive Director, Allegheny Regional Asset District

                Members of the Allegheny County Delegation, Pennsylvania General Assembly

                Bob O’Connor, Governor’s Representative in Western Pennsylvania

                Dr. Gerald L. Zahorchak, Acting Secretary of Education

                Mary Clare Zales, Commissioner for Commonwealth Libraries

                News Media Representatives

                Interested Members of the General Public