Louisiana House OKs bill to allow parishes to hire library directors without state certification

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The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that would allow parish library systems to hire directors who are not certified librarians.

House Bill 974 by Rep. Josh Carlson, R-Lafayette, passed the House on a 64-39 vote. It removes the requirement that directors of parish library systems receive state certification, which requires librarians to pass an exam and hold a master’s degree in library science.

Libraries currently have the ability to hire non-certified librarians for that position after obtaining a waver, but they can only hire them for a four-year contract that can then be renewed. This time limitation is maintained in Carlson’s bill.

House Bill 974 is a substitute bill for House Bill 168, which stalled in the House Municipal. Parochial and Cultural Affairs committee. The latest iteration of the bill was referred to the House Education Committee, where it received approval last week.

The bill stems from the search for the next Lafayette Public Library director. Its parish library board illegally fired the previous director, Danny Gillane, in executive session after a years-long contentious relationship with some of its members. The board later rescinded the illegal termination, allowing Gillane to resign.

The Lafayette library board’s search committee wants to remove the requirement that the director have an American Library Association-certified degree because its library is no longer affiliated with the organization, The Acadiana Advocate reported.

Carlson disputed rumors that he sponsored the bill because he wants the library board to hire somebody he has in mind who does not hold a degree in library science. The bill would actually put the state closer in alignment with the American Library Association, which lays out recommended qualifications for library directors on its website, he said. The recommended educational requirements range from a bachelor’s degree to multiple master’s degrees.

Carlson’s bill will next be discussed by a Senate committee.

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