News

Barbara Mistick has taught numerous students how to make a buck. Her critics say she needs to know more about books.

Mistick, distinguished service professor of entrepreneurship and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, will become Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's director June 1. She is the second consecutive head of the 20-site system to lack a state-required master's degree in library science.

Glenn A. Walsh, of Mt. Lebanon, testified Tuesday before City Council, criticizing the appointment of a director who is not a librarian.

"Carnegie Library board members should not spend their time finding ways to get around state regulations," he said. "The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh should play by the rules, just as all other public libraries must."

State law requires any library serving a population greater than 20,000 to have a director with a master's degree in library science. Herb Elish was hired as director in 1999 without that degree. The then-state commissioner for libraries gave Elish five years to obtain one.

"We are aware that the current candidate is in a similar situation, and we're going to work with the board, and the board is going to work with us," said M. Claire Zales, the state's commissioner for libraries.

Before coming to CMU, Mistick was director of the National Education Center for Women in Business at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Westmoreland County.

The founder of a transportation company, Mistick has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Carlow University; a master's degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh; and a doctorate in management from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio.

But no library-science degree.

"I do have some concern about someone coming to the profession from outside and understanding all of the practice of our profession, what it takes to provide library service," said Carol Brey-Casiano, president of the Chicago-based American Library Association. "We also recognize that local libraries have other issues they have to take into account -- budget issues that may be important to that community."

Leaders of charities and public schools said Mistick's appointment reflects a trend in nontraditional appointments.

"The nonprofit is concerned with people's ability to manage in a more complex world," said Maureen Curley, chief relationship officer for Bridgestar, a Boston-based charity that helps recruit staff and board members for nonprofit groups. She said it's more common for nonprofits to hire business people as their chief financial or operating officers.

The heads of the three largest school districts in the United States -- New York, Los Angeles and Chicago -- came from outside education.

Joel Klein, of New York, was a lawyer and business executive; Roy Romer, of Los Angeles, was a governor of Colorado; and Arne Duncan, of Chicago, the head of a foundation. In the past decade, retired generals have run public school districts in Seattle, San Diego and Washington, D.C.

"Over the past few years, we've seen a number of folks with nontraditional education backgrounds take the helm of some of our big-city school districts," said Henry Duvall, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based Council of the Great City Schools. "But this is not the majority, to be sure."

Mistick could not be reached for comment.

The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh has been looking for a new president inside and outside the arts world.

"We've always been open to looking at different kinds of candidates with different kinds of backgrounds," said Betsy Momich, spokeswoman for the Carnegie Museums.

She said its board hopes to choose a new president within the next month or two.

• Most Read
• Most E-mailed
• Latest News