Statement before the                Glenn A. Walsh

 Board of Directors,                  P.O. Box 1041

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

      Asset District                             Telephone: 412-561-7876

                                                                                                Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >

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

                                                                                                2005 June 6

 

Good evening. I am Glenn A. Walsh of 633 Royce Avenue, Mt. Lebanon. Today, I am representing no formal organization.

 

In April, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, for the second time in a row, hired a Library Director who does not meet State minimum standards for Library Directors.

Although Dr. Barbara K. Mistick has strong academic credentials, as well as business experience, she has no formal library training.

 

Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code requires that all State-funded public libraries, with a service area population of 20,000

or greater, shall be administered by a Library Director who---and I quote—“has a 5th-year degree in library service

from a school approved by the appropriate Commonwealth agency or accredited by the American Library Association.”

 

The purpose of this regulation is to ensure that taxpayer-funded public libraries are administered by a professional librarian, one who is trained by an accredited

library school and truly understands the needs of a public library. And, in an October 4, 2004 letter (copy of letter, attached), I reminded the Carnegie Library Board of

Trustees of this State requirement!

 

For more than six years, Carnegie Library was out of compliance with State regulations while Herb Elish served as Director. Now, Carnegie Library proposes to continue to

remain out of compliance with State regulations, for who-knows how many more years! I am sure you are asking how this is legally possible.

 

Well, for any other Pennsylvania public library it would not be possible. However, as certain politicians on the Carnegie Library Board seem to have political connections

in Harrisburg, this has resulted in the State Department of Education issuing two waivers for Mr. Elish.

 

The real purpose of such waivers is to allow a library a transition period, perhaps a year or so, to find a good and qualified Library Director. Such waivers were never meant

to allow libraries to have permanent, non-professional library directors for six years or longer! However, politics being what it is, the State Department of Education will probably,

again, look the other way and issue, yet, another waiver for Dr. Mistick.

 

Other Pennsylvania libraries do not have the political clout of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh; so they have to play by the rules. But, here in Pittsburgh, the Library Board

feels they are above the law. And, State regulations, such as Title 22, do have the legal force of State law.

 

I know you do not serve on the Library Board, and you do not like to micromanage any asset. However, does there not come a point in time when you have to say

“enough is enough—Carnegie Library should comply with State law, as all other RAD-funded libraries must” ?

 

Thank you.

 

gaw