I write in support of removing the master’s degree requirement for library director from the Montana Public Library Standards. The vast majority of Montana libraries don’t have to satisfy this requirement, since this requirement only applies to libraries who serve more than 25,000 people, and these libraries are functioning just fine.
Consider this: you can run for President of the United States if you are 35 years old or older, born in U.S. and a U.S. resident for at least 14 years. To run for Montana Governor, Lieutenant Governor or Secretary of State you need only be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the U.S. and a Montana resident for a mere two years preceding election. Want to run for the Montana Legislature? You only need be 18 years or older and a resident of Montana for one year. You don’t even have to be a high school graduate! No degrees required!
The Montana State Library Commission will vote Dec. 6 whether to remove this unreasonable degree requirement for directors of large libraries, and the deadline for public comment is Dec. 1. Please go to https://msl.mt.gov/ and click on the “State Library Commission Seeking Public Comment”.
Please join me in helping to eliminate this unwarranted constraint. Let us leave this decision to our excellent local library board so they may hire the person best qualified to serve our community.
Laura Lee O’Neil
Kalispell