S0707 amends South Carolina law governing county public library boards of trustees. The bill requires county library boards to employ a chief librarian whose qualifications meet State Library Board certification requirements, while also specifying that the board may not require or even express a preference that a chief librarian, library director, or library employee be certified by the American Library Association (ALA) or hold a master’s degree from an ALA-certified program.
In practical terms, the bill shifts hiring standards away from ALA-based credentials and toward the State Library Board’s certification framework. It applies to county public library systems and affects the hiring and qualification criteria for chief librarians, library directors, and other library staff. The act would take effect upon approval by the Governor.
Impact
The bill would amend Section 4-9-36 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which sets duties for county public library boards of trustees. It would limit local library boards’ ability to impose credential preferences tied to ALA certification or ALA-accredited master’s degrees, while preserving the requirement that chief librarians meet State Library Board certification standards. The change would directly affect county library hiring policies and could broaden the pool of eligible applicants for library leadership and staff positions.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the supplied materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to reflect a policy preference for state-defined qualifications over national professional association credentials. The available record does not show formal sentiment from legislators, stakeholders, or the public.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the removal of ALA certification and ALA-accredited master’s degrees as required or preferred qualifications. Supporters would likely view the bill as reducing barriers to hiring and preventing local boards from favoring a single professional pathway, while critics may argue it weakens professional standards or devalues library science credentials. The bill also raises a broader issue of local control versus state-imposed hiring rules for county library systems.
Similar To
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 4-9-36, RELATING TO DUTIES OF COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARDS OF TRUSTEES, SO AS TO REVISE QUALIFICATION AND CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CHIEF LIBRARIANS AND OTHER LIBRARY STAFF.