Statement before the Glenn A. Walsh

Allegheny Regional P.O. Box 1041

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

Special Meeting: Telephone: 412-561-7876

Proposed Closure Electronic Mail: < gaw@andrewcarnegie.cc >

Of Carnegie Libraries Internet Site: < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >

2009 October 21

Good afternoon. I am Glenn A. Walsh of 633 Royce Avenue, Mt. Lebanon. Today I am speaking as a private citizen representing no organization.

The process and decision of the Board of Trustees of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to close libraries is invalid, as the Board proceedings were in direct violation of the state Sunshine Act.

Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code, Section 141.21, states:

“(C) The library shall be an integral part of general local government.”

This means that any state-funded public library, designated by the municipality as their agency to provide library service, must comply with all state statutes applicable to municipalities, including the Sunshine Act and the Right-to-Know Law. The City of Pittsburgh designated Carnegie Library as their agency to provide library service with the enactment of Ordinance No. 240 on February 25, 1890, which accepted Andrew Carnegie’s generous offer to build libraries for the city.

This interpretation of State law 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, Page 38.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has never complied with this state regulation, claiming they are exempt since they are a private organization. Title 22 contradicts this erroneous interpretation. Two letters I sent to Carnegie Library President Ellsworth Brown in 2003, pointing-out this state regulation, were ignored, and I received no reply.

I ask that you insist that The Carnegie Library Board and Management fully comply with Title 22, including compliance with the Sunshine Act and the Right-to-Know law.

Attached to this statement is evidence backing-up the claims I have made.

Thank you.

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh Public Statements of 2009 October 21
Before the Board of Directors of the Allegheny Regional Asset District --

Annual Public Hearing Statement

Special Meeting Statement

Addendum to Special Meeting Statement