Sec. 14.38.01.01. Librarians in County Public Libraries

A. Each librarian employed by a county public library in Maryland shall hold a professional certificate issued by the State Superintendent.

B. There shall be Professional Public Librarian Certification and Public Library Director Certification.

(1) Professional Public Librarian Certification.

(a) An applicant for Public Librarian Certification shall have a master's degree from a library school accredited by the American Library Association.

(b) This certificate shall be valid for 5 years and shall be renewed by the State Superintendent for an additional 5 years if the certificate holder has completed 6 semester hours or their equivalent in an accredited institution or in an in-service program in one of the following areas:

(i) Management and supervision;

(ii) Information technology;

(iii) Reference or technical services; or

(iv) Other subjects that are relevant to the professional assignment of the librarian.

(2) Professional Library Director Certification.

(a) An applicant for Professional Library Director Certification shall have:

(i) A master's degree from a library school accredited by the American Library Association; and

(ii) 5 years of experience as a professional librarian with at least 2 years of experience in an administrative or supervisory capacity.

(b) This certificate shall be valid for 5 years and may be renewed by the State Superintendent for an additional 5 years if the certificate holder has completed 6 semester hours or their equivalent in an accredited institution or in an in-service program in the areas of library management or administration, and other subjects that are relevant to the professional assignment of a Professional Library Director.

C. An in-service program that forms the basis for credit under this regulation shall meet the standards for approval promulgated by the Maryland State Library Agency.

D. Conditional Degree Certificate. The State Superintendent may issue a Conditional Degree Certificate at the request of a county public library if the State Superintendent determines that an applicant's preparation or experience, or both, are adequate to justify issuance of a conditional certificate. A conditional certificate:

(1) Shall be valid for 2 years from the date of its issuance; and

(2) May not be renewed.

E. Certificates shall be issued by the State Superintendent upon a written application supported by official transcripts of the applicant's record and other documentation that may be required by the State Department of Education.

F. An application shall contain payment for processing in accordance with the fee schedule that is established by the State Department of Education.

G. The requirements for certification under these regulations are for the purposes of State certification. A county public library may, as a condition for employment, establish additional requirements.

H. An application for renewal of a certificate under these regulations shall be made in writing to the State Superintendent not later than 90 days before the expiration date of the certificate. If the certificate has expired, a holder of a former certificate shall meet the certification requirements of the State Board that are in effect at the time of the application for the new certificate.