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chapter 75 found 1 time.  |
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Code of Regulations
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(Statutory Authority: 1976 Code Section 60-1-80) 75-1 Use of State Aid Funds. A. State Aid Funds may be used: (1) To employ professional and preprofessional librarians who meet the certification requirements and hold the appropriate certificate currently effective, from the State Library and other staff consistent with South Carolina Public Library Standards published by the South Carolina State Library. (a) "Professional" means a graduate of master's degree program of library and information studies accredited by the American Library Association. (b) "Preprofessional" means a graduate of an accredited four-year college having eighteen semester hours of library science or other appropriate course work as determined by the South Carolina State Library. (c) "Other Staff" means an individual with appropriate training in areas such as automation/technology, human resources, public relations/marketing, and finance. (2) To provide on-going training and continuing educational opportunities for all employees and trustees of the library consistent with South Carolina Public Library Standards published by the South Carolina State Library. (3) To secure services of outside expertise in areas of library operations and services. (4) To purchase or lease library materials and resources in all formats for service to the public. (5) To purchase or lease library and office equipment and services. (6) To purchase a new bookmobile and other vehicles for public service use and pay for their operations. Vehicles are not to be assigned to individuals for personal use. (7) To provide an annual audit of the financial records of the library prepared by a certified public accountant provided such audit is not part of the general county audit paid for by the county. B. State Aid funds may not be used for rent for library buildings, purchase of land, construction or repairs to building operating expenses such as utilities, or janitor supplies. C. Local library support shall be not less than the amount actually expended for library operations from local sources in the second preceding year. D. Any library receiving State Aid shall be legally established and administered by a legally appointed Board and shall: (1) Provide free basic public library service to all residents in the library's legal service area (LSA) consistent with South Carolina Public Library Standards published by the South Carolina State Library. (2) Provide remote access to statewide data bases coordinated by the South Carolina State Library. (3) Provide an adequate level of service, either through county library systems or through regional library systems. (4) Adopt an annual budget with balanced proportions among personnel (65% - 70%), information resources (15% - 20%), and maintenance (10% - 20%). (5) Employ in professional and preprofessional positions librarians meeting the certification requirements of the South Carolina State Library and meeting the staffing standards consistent with the South Carolina Public Library Standards published by the South Carolina State Library. (6) Systematically acquire library materials consistent with a collection development policy approved by the local board. (7) Adopt a long-range plan that provides reasonable access to all library services to all residents in the library's service area consistent with South Carolina Public Library Standards published by the South Carolina State Library. (8) Provide at least one library in the system that is open and provides on site access consistent with South Carolina Public Library Standards published by the South Carolina State Library. (9) Supply the South Carolina State Library with such statistics and information as it may from time to time request. (10) Have the financial records of the library audited annually by a certified public accountant and furnish the South Carolina State Library with a copy of the audit report. (11) Notify the South Carolina State Library of official public library board appointments within 30 days of appointment. (12) Invite the South Carolina State Library Director or designee to one board meeting annually. E. The South Carolina State Library is authorized to waive regulations upon petition by a library system for a period not to exceed one year. HISTORY: Amended by State Register Volume 24, Issue No. 5, eff May 26, 2000. 75-2 Certification Program for Public Librarians. A. Employment Regulations. (1) Each public library serving a population of 10,000 or more shall employ in professional positions and in pre-professional positions covered by State Aid and grant programs only those librarians and assistants holding the appropriate certificate. (2) Failure by the trustees of any public library to meet these requirements or observe these regulations shall be deemed a valid reason for withholding all public funds unless the library board files a formal application for excuse of default and is granted exemption by the South Carolina State Library. The exemption granted shall be valid for one year only unless renewed. B. Requirements and Types of Certificates. (1) Professional. (a) Professional certificate is issued to library staff who are graduates from an accredited undergraduate college or university, who have a degree from a graduate program of library study accredited by the American Library Association, and who are currently and have been employed in a professional full-time position in a public library for three years of continuous service. (b) Provisional Professional certificate is issued to library staff members who have less than three years of continuous full-time professional experience in a public library. Although the Provisional Professional certificate is valid for four years it can be exchanged for a permanent Professional certificate upon completion of three years of full-time public library experience. (2) Pre-Professional. (a) Pre-Professional certificate is issued to library staff members who have satisfactorily completed a bachelor's degree in a college or university approved by an agency of more than statewide standing and who have completed not less than 18 semester hours in library science. This certification is initially valid for five years and renewable by continuous full-time library experience and the successful completion of six semester hours in academic and/or library science courses. After five year' experience and the additional six hours credit, the certification remains valid so long as the holder is continuously employed in a full-time library position. (b) Provisional Pre-Professional certificate is issued to library staff members who have completed a bachelor's degree in a college or university of recognized standing. This certificate is valid for three years and renewable by continuous full-time library experience and successful completion of six semester hours of library science courses. After completion of 18 semester hours in library science, the Provisional certificate may be exchanged for the regular Pre-Professional certificate. (3) Exemption of positions. (a) The South Carolina State Library may at its discretion, based on a formal application, from the public library board, stating clearly the steps that have been taken to locate a qualified person, excuse the default of a library board employing a librarian not properly certified and legalize the time so served. (b) If a public library serving a population of over 150,000 at any time shall find it impossible to employ a satisfactory holder of a public librarian's professional certificate for a position requiring unusual background and education in a special field, the library board may submit to the South Carolina State Library a statement of facts involved and request that the position be exempt from certification regulations. (4) Reciprocity. (a) A librarian's certificate duly issued by the State authority in a State meeting South Carolina State Library's standards and currently in full force and effect shall be endorsed provided the holder of such certificate shall have had not less than three years of professional library experience one of which has been within the past three years prior to request or that applicant can submit evidence of the satisfactory completion of a refresher course. (5) Renewal of Certificate. (a) The Provisional and Preprofessional certificates are renewable. It is the responsibility of the applicant and the library board to request renewals before the expiration date. Renewal blanks may be obtained from the South Carolina State Library and should be filled out and returned, together with the certificate to be renewed, to the South Carolina State Library prior to the expiration date. HISTORY: Added by State Register Volume 29, Issue No. 5, May 27, 2005. |