Statement before the Glenn
A. Walsh
Council of the
Electronic
Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc
>
Internet
Web Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc
>
2004
October 5
Good morning,
I am Glenn A. Walsh of
Last week,
the
current Library Director of
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh issued a
letter to the
Library’s Board of Trustees indicating his intention to retire. I
am sending a
letter to Frank J. Lucchino, Chairman of the Executive Committee of
the Board of Trustees of The Carnegie Library of
Pittsburgh, indicating that this retirement presents Carnegie Library with a
golden opportunity to come back into compliance with State law, by hiring a new
Library Director who complies with the personnel requirements of Commonwealth
Libraries, Pennsylvania Department of Education.
In
general, Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code requires all State-funded public
libraries, which have a service area population of 20,000 or greater, to have a
head librarian who has, at least, acquired a Masters degree in Library Science.
The specifics of Title 22 are detailed in my letter to Mr. Lucchino. A
copy of
that letter is attached to this statement.
I urge
each of you to contact Mr. Lucchino, and other members of the Library’s Board
of Trustees, to emphasize the importance to The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh,
that the Library hire a trained librarian as the new Library Director and come
back into compliance with State law.
Over the
past year, we have seen The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh abandon the
historic
Hazelwood Branch Library, in opposition to the wishes of the majority of
residents of the Hazelwood neighborhood. The current Carnegie Library Director
had also indicated that the historic libraries in the
Lawrenceville,
Unfortunately,
At the
conclusion of this meeting, it was decided to form a citizens’ network to
address the threats to the future of the hundreds of Carnegie Libraries
throughout the English-speaking world. I will keep you informed as to the progress
of the grass-roots network now being formed.
Thank you.
gaw